my mother’s advice:

‘there is no box’

was meant to be kind

don’t limit yourself

your dreams

your capabilities

you can be anything, do anything

the world is yours

but the possibilities are paralyzing

being a biologist means

not being a welder means

being a corporate girl means

not being a farmer

if i’m the perfect friend, i’m

not the perfect daughter but then

i’m the perfect colleague and

not the perfect student

then who am i supposed to be?

trying to do it all

is unrealistic

the only one who told me that

is burnout

how do you choose who you are supposed to be?

who you are?

limits exist for a reason

why shouldn’t i lean into mine?

why shouldn’t i be happy?

so maybe after all

there is a box

a box shaped like me