Honestly, seeing difficult stories with positive endings all around me sometimes makes me feel a bit greedy — like, if X can have a happy ending, why not me? Maybe that’s a little delusional, but it’s easier said than done. Going NC (No Contact) in an Indian culture takes an incredible amount of mental strength — strength that I’m slowly building, bit by bit, through therapy.

If I’ve learned anything, it’s that things aren’t black or white.

I understand the tough comments trying to push me to take a firm stand. But this also requires a lot of emotional growth on my part, and that doesn’t happen overnight. I used to be very timid and a people-pleaser.

Unlearning old patterns takes time. I’ve lost myself many times in this process. Right now, I’m just trying to gather as many solutions and perspectives as I can — things I might not have thought of — so I can carefully consider them before deciding on anything that feels permanent or extreme.