When Pleasing Others Meant Leaving a Piece of Me Behind

 By Mia❤

Futsal was more than just a hobby it was my escape, my therapy, my way of expressing emotions that words couldn’t carry. Somewhere along the way, I started to dim my own light to make others comfortable.

 I gave up futsal,not because I stopped loving it, but because I tried too hard to be what people wanted me to be. I was afraid that my joy looked too different, too loud, too “unfeminine” maybe. So, I quietly stepped back from the game I loved to protect other's opinions and in doing so, I hurt myself.

I won’t lie, it was painful. Watching others play while I sat on the sidelines, pretending I was okay with letting it go. Smiling on the outside, but missing the version of me who felt truly alive on the court. That version of me slowly faded, and for a while, I couldn’t recognize myself without futsal.

Now I’ve come to realize: trying to please everyone is a game you’ll always lose. And when you give up parts of yourself to win someone’s approval, you’re the one who ends up empty. I miss futsal. I miss me. And I’m learning that my joy, my passion, and my dreams deserve space too.