A two minute plank, storytelling, hearts, and an answer you might not know

I I saw an Instagram reel that said: if you can do a 2-minute plank, you have elite-level athleticism. I was like pshhh - I can do a 2-minute plank… but does that really mean I’m elite? Regardless, I had to prove it.

After 1 minute, I was like, uh - easy. Then the next 40 seconds were interesting. I could keep going, but my brain said: this is enough. I stayed 10 more seconds. Heard my brain again say: fork this. But I knew I could keep going. A chipmunk ran over to my hand, under my plank, and into a nearby bush… and the two minutes were up. (the chipmunk has literally nothing to do with this story, it was just cool that it happened).

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I stood up, and I knew 3 things:

I can do it.

I could have done more.

I’m only elite at one thing: thinking.

The next thing that popped into my head… the words: “I can’t be what you need.”

I’ve heard it more than once. And, I resisted it…so many forking times.

I explained. I hoped. I waited. I worked harder. I knew I could make them see. I knew I could be what they needed.

And now, I know EXACTLY what to do.

Believe them.

If someone tells you: I can’t be what you need. Pick up your heart, hold it tightly in your hands, kiss it, look at your heart, crying, hurt, and devastated; and:

Take your heart home and nurture it. Love it. And STOP what WILL happen next…

That heart is going to start telling stories.

Amazing stories. How great this person was. How much you love them. How much fun you had with them. It will go on for hours, days, months, years, and my goodness - DECADES.

FORKING STOP IT.

Stop listening to this wounded, bleeding heart!

Pick it up, look it in the heart face and say this: I FORKING LOVE YOU AND I WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU FROM NOW ON. I WILL STOP GIVING THE JOB OF LOVING YOU TO SOMEONE ELSE. YOU ARE THE MOST WONDERFUL AND AMAZING THING IN MY LIFE. YOU ARE MINE, AND I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU. WHATEVER YOU NEED FROM HERE ON OUT, I WILL GIVE IT TO YOU.

It is your job to stop the stories and PROMPTLY give it what you wish the person who walked away from you couldn’t.

You are the one who should have ALWAYS cared for your heart FIRST.

It was NEVER anyone else’s job.

The person who walked away can’t. That’s why they walked away.

It’s ok that they walked away. The only reason why you think it’s not ok, is the stupid forking story your heart keeps on repeat.

Your heart knows the story sounds better than the work it takes to look in the mirror and give yourself what that person couldn’t.

Your heart KNOWS you want to matter. And the quickest way to feel better is to go back to that person and beg them to love you.

Because, if they do come back, and sometimes they do; you will feel worth it and lovable immediately.

But you ARE lovable - even without that person who walked away.

THE TRUTH?

You were never taught how to LOVE YOURSELF. Now it is time you learn that.

LOOK IN THE MIRROR AND give yourself EVERYTHING you wanted from the one who left.

Look at yourself in the mirror and verbally say: (Your name) - I love you. You are the best thing that has happened to me. You are so worth it, valuable, and because you mean so much to me, I’d never leave you. What do YOU want to do today? I want to do that with you.

And listen

Teach your heart to reach for YOU. Not for the person who can’t be what you need.

It will take some time. Your heart is used to telling stories that aren’t true. They are easier to believe because you never learned to put your full attention on yourself. You’ve searched for the love outside of yourself - when YOU should have given it to yourself this whole forking time!

Teach yourself the greatest love story.

The one where YOU love yourself more than anyone who says: I can’t be what you need.

YOU are what you need.

You can still fall madly in love. You can still let someone adore you. You can still need people, trust people, and choose people to build your life with.

But you’ll never worry about them leaving.

Because from now on: YOU STAY.

Just like that 2-minute plank. There’s a moment when you realize: I could keep holding this. But I don’t have to.

True strength is knowing YOU WILL ALWAYS BE THE LOVE THAT YOU NEED.

Love Always,

~Happy Amy