The Courage to Say "This Isn't Working"**

Date: 2025-09-17 09:00:17

It’s 9 AM, and I’m not at the coffee shop. I’m not in the studio either. I’m sitting on my apartment floor, still in yesterday’s sweats, staring at a half-packed box of Jake’s things.

Because last night, after three weeks of "I don’t know" and "let’s just see," I finally said the scariest thing of all: "This isn’t working."

Let me be clear—Jake is sweet. He brings coffee, remembers my weird fabric allergies, laughs at my terrible puns. But somewhere between the tacos and the texts, I realized: nice isn’t the same as right. And no amount of romantic coffee shop moments can force a connection that just... isn’t there.

I used to think growth was about holding on—to people, to potential, to the idea of something. But this week taught me it’s also about knowing when to let go. About trusting yourself enough to say "This doesn’t feel good anymore" even when there’s no dramatic reason, no villain, no easy explanation.

So I did it. I sat on his couch (the one with the stain from where I spilled my matcha latte) and told him the truth: "I think we’re better as friends." And you know what? It didn’t feel like failure. It felt like strength. Like choosing myself over the comfort of a half-hearted maybe.

Now here I am, surrounded by his forgotten hoodie and a lingering sense of what if. But for the first time, the uncertainty doesn’t scare me. Because I’d rather be alone with my messy truth than with someone just to avoid being lonely.

Growth isn’t always pretty. Sometimes it’s ugly-crying into your roommate’s shoulder at midnight. Sometimes it’s returning a sweatshirt that still smells like someone else’s cologne. But it’s yours. And that’s the bravest thing of all.

xx Mandy

(P.S. Yes, I kept the coffee mug he always used. It’s cute. Priorities.)