In this video, I reflect on the past two years and the shift I’ve noticed in myself. Back then, I felt the need to perform—to prove my worth, to show that I had something valuable to say, to push myself into being seen. Looking back at those early videos, I can see the tension in my body and hear the striving in my voice.

Now, I notice something different: presence. I don’t feel the same urgency to prove myself anymore. I can simply sit, speak, and share from where I am, without the same fear of how it will be received. It’s not that the fear has disappeared entirely, but it no longer runs the show.

That shift didn’t happen overni— layout: post title: “From Performance to Presence: My Growth in 2 Years” date: 2025-09-09 tags: [growth, authenticity, presence, healing] description: “Reflecting on the shift from performing to prove my worth to simply being present in myself, and the freedom that growth brings.” emotions: [“hope”, “acceptance”] —

In this video, I reflect on the past two years and the shift I’ve noticed in myself. Back then, I felt the need to perform—to prove my worth, to show that I had something valuable to say, to push myself into being seen. Looking back at those early videos, I can see the tension in my body and hear the striving in my voice.

Now, I notice something different: presence. I don’t feel the same urgency to prove myself anymore. I can simply sit, speak, and share from where I am, without the same fear of how it will be received. It’s not that the fear has disappeared entirely, but it no longer runs the show.

That shift didn’t happen overnight. It’s been built through hundreds of small moments:

  • Choosing honesty over performance, even when it felt uncomfortable.
  • Allowing silence instead of rushing to fill space.
  • Trusting that being real is more valuable than being impressive.

Presence is what remains when the performance falls away. It’s quieter, steadier, and paradoxically more powerful.

The growth I’ve experienced isn’t about becoming someone new—it’s about peeling back the layers of who I thought I had to be, until I can just be myself. And that’s the kind of change that compounds. The more I live in presence, the more freedom I feel.

Prompts for Reflection

  • Where in your life do you notice yourself performing to be accepted or valued?
  • What happens in your body when you allow yourself to simply be present instead?
  • Can you identify one small way you’ve grown over the past two years that deserves recognition?
  • How might your relationships change if you trusted presence over performance?

ght. It’s been built through hundreds of small moments:

  • Choosing honesty over performance, even when it felt uncomfortable.
  • Allowing silence instead of rushing to fill space.
  • Trusting that being real is more valuable than being impressive.

Presence is what remains when the performance falls away. It’s quieter, steadier, and paradoxically more powerful.

The growth I’ve experienced isn’t about becoming someone new—it’s about peeling back the layers of who I thought I had to be, until I can just be myself. And that’s the kind of change that compounds. The more I live in presence, the more freedom I feel.

Prompts for Reflection

  • Where in your life do you notice yourself performing to be accepted or valued?
  • What happens in your body when you allow yourself to simply be present instead?
  • Can you identify one small way you’ve grown over the past two years that deserves recognition?
  • How might your relationships change if you trusted presence over performance?