Seven months later, and I still find myself getting triggered by the smallest things. I was always known for being a strong, unapologetic woman who knows her worth. But this breakup made me realize that I’m still human after all.

These past few months have been a back-and-forth. I’d cut off our communication, then somehow we would start talking again. It became a cycle, and it sucks. I should have known better. The truth is, no matter how firm we are with our boundaries, when it comes to the people we love, we become flexible — even when it means losing a little respect for ourselves.

I still find myself crying over it. The hardest part is that I truly loved the person. I gave genuine love, and I still got betrayed.

This is me being vulnerable and human with you, my readers. But this doesn’t make me any less strong. This is me allowing myself to feel everything and trying my best to heal in the ways that I can.

Because that’s the hardest part about moving on — there’s no textbook that can give you the exact steps. Healing looks different for each and every one of us.