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I've changed.
Not just in the way I talk, feel, or act-but in almost everything. I've changed.At first, that made me feel bad. I kept asking myself, *Why did I let go of that old version of me so easily?* But the more I grow, the more I change—and the more I realize that every version of me had a purpose. Some were meant to teach me, while others were meant to build me into a stronger woman.

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When I was a child, I acted like one. But I've come to understand that growth has its own way of shaping us. Now that I'm grown, I know I have to move on from acting like a girl... and start living like a woman.

But still, there were days I didn’t recognize growth because it came dressed as loss.
There were seasons I thought I was stuck, when in reality, I was being rooted.
And somehow, even the versions of me I didn’t love... were holding pieces of the person I was always meant to become.

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And yet I ask myself *"why do I need to grow?"*. It may be a strange question but that means a lot to me. Because I wasn't expecting the answer to be just out of reach. I can't fully grasp it yet... but I know it's visible from afar.

You don't truly understand something until you walk closer to it. And that feels a lot like growth.

There was a time when I thought strength meant having all the answers.Now I know that strength sometimes looks like asking for help, or just showing up shaky hands, unsure heart, and all.

I’ve been the girl who kept quiet to keep the peace. The one who smiled while holding back tears. 

But she mattered.
She was necessary.
Because she walked the path that brought me here.
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Not every version of me was photogenic.Some of them lived behind closed doors. But even those versions had a purpose.
They taught me to be kind and to be real.

But I admit that some of the version taught me a lesson  I never saw coming. A lesson that I never expected would play a vital role in my life.
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And now the current "me" still has many questions. Still wrestles with insecurities. Still needs reminders of grace, value, and purpose. But she's more grounded now. Yes, I am more grounded. I am more aware that life isn't about perfection, rather, it's about purpose.

One thing I learned along the way is that: it's easy to skip to the good parts. But maybe every versions, even the one who stumbled, is part of our growth.

As a writer, I have learned the power of sharing what I feel. I have been writing for almost 6 years now and along the way, I have notice the different versions of myself that I've looked up—coming, going, shifting.

But now that I understand growth a little more, I am becoming more strong.

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