this is me trying

🏆 Just Showing Up: The Quiet Victory in "this is me trying"

Hey, friends. 👋 I want to talk about a song that perfectly captures the unseen labor of surviving a tough mental health season: Taylor Swift’s "this is me trying."

If you've ever felt like you're giving 110% just to stay in one place, or if you've done the hard work behind closed doors that no one ever sees, this song is your validation. It’s an anthem for self-acceptance and a recognition of the small, persistent acts of hope and resilience. You don't need applause to be a winner. 🥇

The Shame of "Rusted Wheels" ⚙️

The song starts with that crushing feeling of looking back at your own potential and feeling like you failed it:

"I've been having a hard time adjusting / I had the shiniest wheels, now they're rusting.""They told me all of my cages were mental / So I got wasted like all my potential."

This highlights the dual pain of depression and isolation. You feel isolated not just from others, but from the successful, vibrant version of yourself you once were or thought you would be.

• The Weight of Potential: The shame comes from the contrast between the "shiniest wheels" (that bright, promising future) and the reality of them "rusting." The phrase, "got wasted like all my potential," is a painfully honest summary of how unhealthy coping mechanisms (like drinking or lashing out) can feel like a direct betrayal of your dreams.

• Invalidation as Isolation: The line, "They told me all of my cages were mental," is a powerful shout against the common dismissal of mental illness. When people tell you your struggle is "all in your head" or that you should "snap out of it," it creates a cage of isolation—leaving you alone to fight a battle no one else acknowledges.

Resilience is Choosing the Doorway🚪

The real power of the song lies in its portrayal of hope and resilience. The narrator doesn't minimize how dark things got:

"Pulled the car off the road to the lookout / Could've followed my fears all the way down.""But I'm here in your doorway."

That moment of pulling the car over and choosing not to "follow [fears] all the way down" is the essence of resilience. It's the moment where, even in the depths of despair, you choose survival.

• The Power of Small Actions: Being "here in your doorway" might seem small, but it’s a giant, monumental effort. It’s a literal healthy boundary against total retreat. It means showing up, even if you don't have the right words, even if you’re scared, and even if you’re only there for a few minutes. That small step is the hardest step of all.

Your Effort is Valid, Always. 💯

The entire song resolves around one vulnerable, repeated truth: "I just wanted you to know that this is me trying."

This is the ultimate lesson in self-acceptance. It teaches us that trying is enough. You don't have to be soaring; you don't have to be perfect; you don't have to be successful by conventional standards. If you feel like a mess, like you've pushed people away, like you're behind all your classmates—but you are still showing up, you are still breathing, you are still moving—then that is trying.

The greatest act of self-worth is accepting that your effort, however messy and invisible, is valid and worthy of respect, especially your own. Give yourself credit for showing up today. You're doing better than you think. 💚

What is one thing you "tried" to do today (even just getting out of bed) that you are going to acknowledge and praise yourself for? 👏