When silence becomes your shield — and your power.
You feel it rise — the truth, the need, the softness.
But you hold it back.
You don’t say I miss you.
You don’t ask for help.
You don’t show the ache.
Instead, you stay silent.
Distant.
Cool.
Because withholding makes you feel in control.
Like you’re managing the moment — when really, you’re just managing your fear of being seen.
Withholding isn’t just about revenge.
It’s protection.
It’s preservation.
It’s the belief that if you don’t give, you can’t get hurt.
You withhold affection.
You withhold truth.
You even withhold celebration — because part of you believes they haven’t earned access to your full heart.
But here’s what happens:
You also block connection.
You starve the relationship while pretending you’re feeding it boundaries.
Ask yourself:
- What am I holding back — and who am I trying to protect by doing it?
- Am I being cautious… or just afraid of intimacy?
- What would I lose by letting them see all of me?
This is the Cushy way.
Truth without tension.
Softness without fear.
Openness without performance.
You’re allowed to be seen.
Not just when it’s safe.
But when it’s real.
