When Life Turns Into a Roast Session (But You Still Clap Back)

 There comes a phase in life when it feels like the universe is hosting an open mic night and the only act on stage is… you, while everyone else is the audience, booing and throwing tomatoes. Every word you hear is criticism. Every move you make feels like it comes with a “could’ve done better.” And suddenly, you’re convinced that even if you found the cure for Monday blues, someone would still say, “Hmm, but why not Friday blues too?”

I found myself in exactly that season  where nobody seemed to have a kind word, where I was never anyone’s first choice, and where the loneliness was loud enough to drown out Spotify. I was trying  really trying  but somehow “trying” felt invisible. And the worst part? That whisper in my head that said, “Maybe they’re right. Maybe it’s me.”

It’s a strange emotional cocktail: one sip of self-blame, one shot of exhaustion, topped with a fizzy splash of “why me?” Served on the rocks, naturally.

But here’s the twist: even in this messy, not-so-pretty phase, I realized something powerful. You can still be your own hype-person.

I started talking to myself the way I wished others would:

• Instead of “you’re failing,” I’d say, “at least you showed up  half the world didn’t.”
• Instead of “you’re all alone,” I’d say, “you’ve got space now to actually figure out what you like, not what the crowd demands.”
• Instead of “you’re no one’s priority,” I’d say, “great, less drama, more peace.”

Some days I laughed at the absurdity of it all  how life can be so extra, piling on negativity like it’s a Netflix binge season. Other days, I cried into a pillow (also Netflix involved, but more ice cream than plot twists). And that’s okay.

Because slowly, I realized: being roasted all the time forced me to build fireproof skin. Being overlooked pushed me to look inward. And being alone? It taught me the fine art of enjoying my own company (10/10 would recommend  solo coffee dates are underrated).

So yeah, that phase wasn’t glamorous, and it definitely wasn’t easy. But looking back, it’s also the chapter where I grew the most. Where I learned that sometimes the world’s negativity is less about you and more about… well, the world.

If you’re in that phase right now, here’s my unsolicited advice: Don’t wait for applause. Be your own clapper, your own cheer squad, your own DJ who plays “You Got This” on loop. Because one day, when things shift (and they will shift), you’ll look back and realize that surviving that storm was your ultimate glow-up.

Until then  keep laughing at the roast. You’re not the joke. You’re the whole show. 🌟