I saw a quote by Brené Brown recently that made me pause and say, “Wait… what is this?”

“People may call what happens at midlife ‘a crisis,’ but it’s not. It’s an unraveling—a time when you feel a desperate pull to live the life you want to live, not the one you’re ‘supposed’ to live.”

And that hit me home—because for a while now, I’ve felt like something inside me was shifting, breaking down, maybe even falling apart.

But when I look closer, I don’t think it’s falling apart at all.

I think it’s me finally getting tired of living a life that never felt like enough—because deep down, I never felt like I was enough.

The Way It Shows Up For Me

I’ve always been the one comparing.

Looking around and wondering why everyone else seems further ahead.

Why I’m always playing catch-up.

Why no matter what I accomplish, I still feel like I’m behind.

I used to think something was wrong with me because I couldn’t just be happy. I felt guilty for wanting more—even when life looked okay on the outside.

But I’m starting to realize: it wasn’t about being ungrateful.

It was about being disconnected from myself.

This unraveling? It’s like a slow return.

To who I actually am underneath the pressure and performance.

Letting Go of the “Perfect Life” Timeline

I don’t know who made the rules, but somewhere along the way, I picked up this belief that I needed to hit all these milestones on time.

Be this by 30. Have that by 35. Know everything by 40.

And if I didn’t? Then clearly, I messed up somewhere.

But what if there’s nothing wrong with our timing?

What if constantly feeling “behind” is just the side effect of measuring ourselves against someone else’s highlight reel?

Letting go of who I thought I had to be has been the hardest part.

Because even though it wasn’t fulfilling, it was familiar.

But I’m learning that familiar doesn’t mean aligned.

Becoming the Version of Me That Isn’t Chasing

I always thought becoming meant chasing more.

More success. More structure. More proof that I was doing life right.

But becoming her—the version of me I’m proud to know—looks way different.

It looks like:

Releasing the need to be further ahead. Choosing peace even when I feel pressured to perform. Trusting that my path may look different, but it’s still valid.

I’m still learning how to stop comparing.

Still catching myself in those old stories that whisper, You’re not doing enough.

But I’m no longer giving them the final say.

If You’re Feeling This Too…

Maybe you’re unraveling too.

Not because you’ve failed—but because you’re finally refusing to keep faking it.

If you’re tired of comparing, tired of the pressure, tired of feeling like nothing is ever enough—I see you.

You are enough.

Even when life doesn’t look like the picture you painted in your head.

Even when the timeline feels messy.

Even when you’re still figuring it all out.

Unraveling might just be how we come home to ourselves.

Let’s Be Real Together

This post isn’t tied up in a bow, because neither is life.

But if this speaks to where you are, I’d love to hear from you. Drop a comment or message me on Instagram @everything_kieks. Let’s talk. Let’s be real. Let’s grow out loud.

Thank you for reading today’s blog.

Until Next Time, keel learning and growing and thriving on your journey.

xo, Kieks