the princess

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oh, princess, you are so naïve.
your crown has shattered at
your feet because you did not
keep your head upright.

you are not trapped in a tower,
princess, you are trapped inside
of your head. you are trapped
inside your insecurities and
you have created a damsel of
yourself that you never were.

oh, princess, you are not alone.
you have made yourself feel lonely
but you have always had company.
you have always had love.

you have shattered your magic
mirror, foolish girl. if you hadn't
it would tell you that you do not
need to be the fairest of them all.
it would tell you that even though
you are not liked by everyone that
you are loved by enough. it would
say that you must keep your head
up and walk with confidence; you
were born a royal and you always
will be one.

the mirror would continue to say
that you must stop wallowing in
self pity and cherish yourself.
it would say that if you are not
pleased, change. cut all of your
hair off. stop saying yes. be as
kind as you can possibly be.
smile at everyone you pass by.
whatever you must do to be the
best version of you, do it. you can.

you are not trapped in a tower,
princess. you are trapped inside
yourself. there is no dragon except
for the one inside of you. it is waiting
to be released. let it out and burn all
of your worries away, fly above your
sadness and watch the ashes fall.

oh, princess, you are not hopeless.
you can leave your tiara behind
and start anew. you can be whatever
you like. all you need to do is
escape from the cage in your head
and learn to love yourself again.

there is no prince or princess or
knight in shining armor who is
coming to save you. if you take
a look in the mirror you will
see — you are all of them.

you are a prince.
you are a princess.
you are a knight.
you are a dragon.

you are not trapped in a tower.
you are trapped inside your doubt,
inside your self-induced isolation,
inside your refusal to see everything
there is to love about yourself.

hold your head high, princess, even
though your crown is torn apart.

you are regal. you are powerful.

you must save yourself this time, princess.
in this tale, in this life. you are no damsel.
you are not trapped. you are the dragon and
the knight and the prince and the princess
and you can save yourself.

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