Hello ,

Have you ever had someone in your family point out something about you that you didn’t want to hear… but deep down, you knew they were right?

That happened to me this week.

I was on a FaceTime with my brothers when one of them suddenly said:

"You’ve always been the fake optimist. The smile on your face but the worry underneath."

Ouch. My first thought was: That’s not me.

But then… recognition.

Yes, it is.

He could see the cracks in my brave face. The optimism that was really exhaustion. The smile that was really me barely holding it together.

And instead of defending myself, I felt relief. Because he named something I’d been working so hard to hide—even from myself.

The lightbulb moment?

I don’t have to keep putting on a smile for everyone else.

I can drop the mask.

I can give myself permission to be real.

What I learned this week:

✨ Sometimes the people who love us most see the truths we’ve been avoiding.

✨ You can step out of someone else’s chaos, but you can’t step out of your own body.

✨ Real peace begins when you stop pretending and allow yourself to feel what’s true.

A practice for you (if you want to try):

The Hand-to-Heart Permission

• When you catch yourself smiling through it, pause.
• Place both hands on your heart.
• Whisper: “I am allowed to be real. I am allowed to be at peace.”
• Take three slow breaths, letting the words sink in.

A thought to carry with you:

When someone reflects back a truth you’ve been afraid to admit, it’s not an attack—it’s an invitation.

An invitation to set down the mask.

An invitation to stop holding it all in.

An invitation to be real—and to find peace in that honesty.

🌿 This story is just the beginning. In this week’s edition of The Soulful Sunday Subscription, I share more about:

• What it felt like to finally be seen behind the mask
• The relief of realizing I can’t escape my own storms—but I can make peace with them
• Gentle rituals and SoulShift Journaling prompts to help you drop your own “brave face” and find the light beneath it

You can read the full story and explore this week’s practices and all past issues with your 7 day free trial [here]. No app needed—just poems, reflections, and rituals for real life, delivered straight to your inbox every Sunday.

With so much love and every honest breath,

Charity 💜

P.S. - If these words resonated with you, if you're craving more permission to rest imperfectly, I share deeper stories and practices like this every Sunday in The Soulful Sunday Subscription - no app needed, just stories and rituals for real life, delivered to your inbox. But even if you don't, please remember: you're allowed to start with five minutes. You're allowed to start today. 🛁✨