Breathe – A Poem by Becky Hemsley

There are moments when the weight of expectations feels almost unbearable, pressing down with silent demands and unseen judgments. 

We are told to be one thing, yet criticized for being another. We are encouraged to speak up, yet silence is often demanded. In the midst of this, we can forget who we truly are.

This poem by Becky Hemsley, Breathe, captures the struggle of self-acceptance in a world filled with contradictions. It is a gentle reminder to let go of societal expectations, to return to ourselves, and, most importantly, to just breathe. It is a gentle reminder to let go, to return to ourselves, and, most importantly, to just breathe.

Breathe
By Becky Hemsley

𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐲,

She led from the front and they hated her pride,

They asked her advice and then questioned her guidance,

They branded her loud, then were shocked by her silence,

When she shared no ambition they said it was sad,

So she told them her dreams and they said she was mad,

They told her they'd listen, then covered their ears,

And gave her a hug while they laughed at her fears,

And she listened to all of it thinking she should,

Be the girl they told her to be best as she could,

But one day she asked what was best for herself,

Instead of trying to please everyone else,

So she walked to the forest and stood with the trees,

She heard the wind whisper and dance with the leaves,

She spoke to the willow, the elm and the pine,

And she told them what she'd been told time after time,

She told them she felt she was never enough,

She was either too little or far far too much,

Too loud or too quiet, too fierce or too weak,

Too wise or too foolish, too bold or too meek,

Then she found a small clearing surrounded by firs,

And she stopped...and she heard what the trees said to her,

And she sat there for hours not wanting to leave,

For the forest said nothing, it just let her breathe” ❤️

A Moment to Reflect

I feel this poem speaks to the expectations of others that we carry and the sense of freedom letting go give us. It reminds us that we are already enough—without the need for approval or validation.

Take a deep breath, step away from the noise for a moment, and let yourself be carried by the rhythm of your own breath. 

Who are you, when you let yourself just be...?

If you know you're capable of more — and you can feel it — the question is whether my approach can help you get there. That's what the Personal Clarity Call is for.

Click here to book your Personal Clarity Call.

#BreathePoem #Mindfulness #SelfAcceptance #LetGo #InnerPeace #SpiritualGrowth #Reflection #JustBe