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Lily Pond's avatar

I love how Love speaks to you in a quiet whisper with a profound Knowing. These sentences stand out to me and speak to the part of me who has, like you, struggled to "outperform" for productivity but crashed, realizing that the "system" did not love me back:

You’ve stopped functioning for a system that never once functioned for you. That is sacred. That is a roar, even if it sounds like a whisper.

You don’t owe them your soul.

You never did.

You carry your worth in your breath, not in your productivity.

Beautiful and inspiring!

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Wild Lion*esses Pride from Jay's avatar

Lily,

thank you for meeting those words so openly.

I feel the part of you that knows what it means to crash after years of giving too much to systems that only ever wanted more. I wrote those lines as a reminder I still need myself—and knowing they spoke to you gives them even more weight.

With shared breath and no more overperformance,

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Dawn Roe's avatar

Choose you-again and again. Be at peace with that powerful choice for it is the choice that will ultimately gift the most. I love this piece of writing Jay.

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Dawn Roe's avatar

My inner soft voice whispers. it's not too late, who you are and what you give, matters. You are and it is enough. It whispers...Dream bigger. Do it now. Stay kind. It's not too late.

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Wild Lion*esses Pride from Jay's avatar

Dawn, it is not too late—neither for me nor for you.

When we stay present with ourselves and simply be, we know our worth, hear our inner calling, feel our intuition, sense who we are—and know this is good, this is right. We are whole, exactly as we are.

The trouble begins only when we start listening again to those other voices—ones that were never ours to begin with.

Thank you for reading, for reflection and commenting. I cherish you.

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Dawn Roe's avatar

And I, you. Thank you Jay.

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Intoobus's avatar

Hey! I saw your post pop up on my homepage and wanted to show some support. If you get a chance, I’d really appreciate a little love on my latest newsletter too always happy to boost each other!

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Wild Lion*esses Pride from Jay's avatar

Thanks so much for the support—I'm really glad the creative challenge resonated with you! I had a look at your latest piece and really appreciate the quotes you shared. While Meta and the business realm aren’t quite my usual territory, I always respect thoughtful curation and different lenses on the world.

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Marisa Victus's avatar

Beautiful! This is the balm to salve our deepest wounds.

Thank you for finding your way to my Note. Happy it led me here, to your moving words.

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Wild Lion*esses Pride from Jay's avatar

Thank you Marisa, I am grateful for you taking the time to read and comment. Having been able to create some resonance within yourself is the cherry on top.

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Joanie Madsen's avatar

Carrying what was never ours to pick up. The overuse of our most loving and caring hearts. Strength is grown in not gathering that which belongs to another. Allowing them the task and gift of sifting and sorting. Never did I learn this as I did in Al-anon. My carrying was done out of fear and not love. That was a painful awareness for me about my intentions. Deepest of sighs…

I pause now, and check in with myself to lovingly ask what is going on within me?

You are sharing some very near and dear to my heart thoughts and feelings. May we each remember to set down and not reach for what does not belong to us. Thus, freeing us for all that does! Lovingly and with aloha. Xo💜🪶

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Wild Lion*esses Pride from Jay's avatar

Joanie, yes… that deep sigh—I feel it too.

The difference between fear and love in our carrying… that clarity doesn’t come easy.

And yet, like you, I’ve learned to pause and ask: what truly belongs to me?

Thank you for meeting me in this tender place with such honesty and grace. I appreciate your reading and commenting. Glad it touched something in you, too. xoxo Jay

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Sunbeamdream's avatar

Carrying the weight of other's burdens, failures collapses, to try to save them from bearing it. Oh, yes. This resonates. Beautiful

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Wild Lion*esses Pride from Jay's avatar

Thank you so much, Sunbeamdream. I appreciate you and your words very much.

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DIANA ADMIRE's avatar

Oh my this was beautiful...it waz like you reached inside my heart and mind. Yes you see us. You geel us and you relate,bless you, Di

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Wild Lion*esses Pride from Jay's avatar

Diana,

your words land gently and truly—thank you. If anything I wrote felt like recognition, it’s because we’ve walked some of the same paths, haven’t we? I’m grateful we get to meet here, in language that holds us both.

Thank you for reading and commenting. I cherish you. xoxo Jay

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Junebug Strong's avatar

Jay, I have not been on Substack as much lately. Substack feels overwhelming at the moment, but I took the time to read what you wrote and it's beautiful. Your gift for writing always blows me away, it's always more than worth the time it takes me to read. I always read and don't want to leave - I want to take your words and put them some place permanent! ❤️💙💜💚💛🩵🤎🖤🩶💚❤️🧡💙💛🩷💜🤍🩵

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Wild Lion*esses Pride from Jay's avatar

Junebug,

I’m so touched you made space to read—especially when it all feels like too much. That means more than I can say. If my words offered even a moment of stillness or resonance, I’m grateful beyond measure. And knowing you’d want to keep them close… that stays with me. 💛🌿

xoxo I cherish you. Love Jay

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Andrew Lynch's avatar

Beautiful. Impactful. Resonant and moving

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Wild Lion*esses Pride from Jay's avatar

Thank you so much Andrew, for taking the time to read and to comment. I am very grateful.

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Andrew Lynch's avatar

I would have said more if I had more words, but you said it all, and not a word was missing. Nor was one wasted. The power is palpable, whispers and roars alike. It was truly impactful and deeply moving.

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Wild Lion*esses Pride from Jay's avatar

I take that humbled as a compliment. Thank you Andrew.

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