Radio Headspace Let Yourself Be Soft When You’ve Been Strong for Too Long
Dec 3, 2025
Dora explores the challenge of embracing softness after being the strong one for years. She shares her journey of post-breakup recovery, revealing how cultural norms equate softness with danger. Through heartfelt anecdotes, she describes her breaking point at a family gathering and the small, brave steps—like crying and receiving help—that helped her reconnect with her tenderness. This conversation reframes vulnerability as a form of strength and highlights the courage it takes to feel deeply.
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Breaking Point After Being The Steady One
- Dora Kamau recounts being the steady partner who handled crises and felt competent but numb after a breakup.
- She describes a crying breakdown driving home that revealed fear of her own softness.
Softness Feels Like A Threat
- Softness can feel dangerous because childhood, culture, or relationships taught us vulnerability equals risk.
- Strength skills saved us, but overusing them can block healing by preventing gentleness.
Crying In The Car After Holding It Together
- At her niece's birthday, Dora smiled through a comment and later let herself cry hard while driving home.
- That moment revealed she feared softness more than being alone and began tiny healing steps.