Growing up in a heavily religious environment, where conformity was highly valued, I found it challenging to be my authentic self. People wore masks, projecting an image of perfection while secretly judging others. As a teenager, I struggled to be unapologetically myself, feeling pressured to conform to certain expectations. It was disheartening to see supposed role models and leaders promoting a lifestyle they were not genuinely living. This created a conflict as I grappled with the disparity between their public personas and private lives. It’s deeply troubling to witness individuals preach certain principles while not embodying those values behind closed doors while pressuring others to adhere to their standards.
As a young adult, I consciously decided not to live my life according to other people’s expectations. I realized that I would be judged no matter what I did, so I decided to prioritize my happiness while still being considerate of others. It hasn’t been easy, as I’ve had to unlearn many things. I still struggle with trusting authority figures, but I’ve also learned to trust my instincts.
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SophieJ Life Experiences 
Oh, Sophie. I hear what you’re saying and how disappointing it is to have “religious” people behave badly. My grandfather was a devout Catholic as were my parents and he molested me for 10 years. They didn’t protect me and that left me angry at not only them, but at God as well. I decided to live for myself but that caused me pain as I was so mixed up. It took me many many years before I realized that God actually did want what was best for me and that the Bible was not just a book of rules to judge others by and make life harder. It took me 40 years to realize that and so many mistakes in between! I hope that time will heal your wounds. 😊💕🙏
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It took me a few weeks to process your words and ability to be so vulnerable 💙💙 thank you so much for sharing! I am so glad you were able to restore your relationship with God! For complete healing and restoration I pray 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
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