what did you nearly say this week, and didn't?
you probably already know what it is. the thing you wave off, change the subject around, tell yourself isn't worth mentioning.
every day there's one live question, the same for everyone. answer it anonymously, see what other people said. it's all gone in seven days.
answer today's question →start by writing the sentence "i've been pretending this is fine" and then finish it. don't censor. if it feels small or silly, write it anyway. then ask yourself, when did i start pretending? was there a moment i decided to stop bringing it up? write about what it costs you to keep calling it fine. not in dramatic terms, just honestly. does it sit in your chest? does it make you quieter than usual? does it come back at night? you don't have to fix it here. just stop pretending for a few minutes on the page.
- write about the last time someone asked how you were and you said fine, knowing it wasn't true.
- name the thing, and then write what you would say about it if you were being completely honest.
- think about who you are pretending for, and why.
this is for you if you've been holding something together so well that no one has noticed it's heavy.