Learning to Stand Up for Myself (Or At Least Trying To)

In my CBT sessions, a common theme keeps surfacing: my struggle to stand up for myself or advocate for myself. 

As someone who often feels awkward, unsure, and sometimes unwanted, I wrestle with how I actually implement such feats. Where’s the line between healthy self-advocacy and just feeling like I’m being difficult or demanding? 

Recently, I’ve tried to reframe it as "taking care of myself". Not out of defiance to my therapist, but because that mindset feels a little more manageable. When I remind myself that caring for my own needs gives me the strength and energy to better support my family and loved ones, it gives me a clear purpose and reason.

I can practically hear my therapist insisting this isn’t quite the same thing (and that this alone isn’t the key to long-term balanced mental health). But for now, it’s a start, and sometimes, that’s enough.