Tag: reflectwithflo

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FIT IN (Part 3): When Fitting In Means Compromise

Thank you for following the “FIT IN” series on ReflectWithFlo
We’ve explored when fitting in feels fake, when the world says no, and now in Part 3, we’re diving into when fitting in means compromise.
Sometimes standing firm sets you apart, but it also sets you free.

There are moments in life when fitting in comes at a quiet cost, the cost of your peace.

You find yourself in spaces where laughter hides wrong choices, where silence feels safer than honesty, and where pretending seems easier than standing out. You don’t want to offend anyone or come across as self-righteous; you just want to belong. But deep down, something whispers; not this way.

Because peace that demands you to shrink your convictions isn’t peace at all.
It’s a slow erosion of who you are.

Integrity doesn’t always shout. Sometimes, it simply stands still while everything else moves. It’s the courage to remain rooted even when conformity feels like the easier path.

Standing alone isn’t easy. It can feel like isolation, until you realize it’s actually strength in disguise. You begin to see that being set apart is different from being left out.

Choosing your values over validation, your faith over fitting in, and your truth over temporary belonging, that is where real peace begins.

So, if you ever find yourself torn between the comfort of the crowd and the clarity of your conscience, remember this:
The quiet choice for integrity will always speak louder in time.

Reflect with me:
Have you ever walked away from something everyone else seemed okay with just to keep your peace?

With love,
Florence 💕
ReflectWithFlo

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FIT IN (Part 2): When the World Says You Should Fit In

If you’ve been following the ReflectWithFlo series, you know we’ve been unpacking what it truly means to “fit in” not just with people, but with life itself. In Part 1, we explored “When Fitting In Feels Fake,” and how sometimes pretending to belong can leave us feeling even more out of place.
Now in Part 2, we’re turning the lens toward a subtler kind of pressure: when the world itself tells you that you should fit in.

There’s a kind of pressure that doesn’t always come from people directly, it comes from what the world expects of you.

It’s not that anyone stands over your shoulder saying, “Do this now,” or “Be that by this age.” But somehow, there’s this invisible checklist we all seem to be chasing.
By 25, you should have a degree.
By 28, you should be married.
By 30, you should be “settled.”
You should look a certain way, live a certain lifestyle, speak a certain language that makes you appear like you’ve got it all figured out.

And when you don’t check all the boxes, it starts to feel like you’re behind, like life is moving on without you, and you somehow missed the “normal” train everyone else boarded.

But here’s the truth that’s often hard to swallow:
Maybe the timeline you’re trying to fit into was never yours to begin with.

We live in a world that celebrates sameness, the same kind of success, the same kind of milestones, the same kind of “perfect” life. But your path wasn’t designed to be identical to anyone else’s. God didn’t create you to copy someone else’s blueprint. He created you with a story, a timing, and a process that is uniquely yours.

It’s okay if your pace looks slower.
It’s okay if your story doesn’t look picture-perfect.
And it’s okay if your becoming takes longer than others’.

Because sometimes, not fitting in is the only proof that you’re still walking the path God wrote for you and not the one society designed for everyone else.

You’re not late.
You’re not missing out.
You’re just growing differently.

God’s plan for your life doesn’t follow man’s timeline. So while the world says “You should be there by now,” heaven is whispering, “You’re right on time.”

The truth is, becoming who you are meant to be isn’t about keeping up — it’s about staying aligned. It’s about trusting that even in the seasons that look quiet or confusing, something beautiful is unfolding in you.

Reflect with me:
Have you ever felt behind because your life didn’t look like everyone else’s?
What if you’re not behind at all what if you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be, learning what others skipped, growing where others rushed?

Let this be your reminder today: you don’t need to fit in when you were created to stand out in purpose.

Inspired by a heart-to-heart with my dear friend(Grace)

Stay tuned for Part 3:
Next, we’ll dive into “When Fitting In Means Compromise” — exploring what happens when you start losing yourself just to belong, and how to find peace in authenticity.

With love,
Florence 💕
ReflectWithFlo

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FIT IN (Part 1): When Fitting In Feels Fake

My best friend @faniyigrace and I were talking about life generally especially life after school and how everything feels different now. The people, the pace, the expectations.

Somewhere in that talk, we found ourselves asking: How much of what we do these days is truly us… and how much is just us trying to fit in?

That simple question lingered long after our chat ended. It made me look at every part of my life: the spaces I’ve stepped into, the ones I’ve outgrown, and the ones I’m still trying to blend into.

This got me thinking about how easy it is to lose pieces of yourself while trying to belong.

Sometimes, it’s not even about doing anything wrong, it’s just that the people around you move differently. Their laughter, their priorities, their idea of fun… and before you know it, you’re adjusting your tone, your words, your vibe just to match.

Then comes that quiet moment when you’re alone again, and something in you whispers, “That wasn’t really me.”
It’s strange, you were accepted, yet you feel unseen.

In all these I am also learning that not every space requires my blending.
Some rooms are meant to remind me of who I’m not, not who I should become.

Fitting in shouldn’t cost authenticity because the peace that comes from being your real self is far greater than the applause that comes from being someone else.

Reflect with me:
Have you ever caught yourself pretending just to keep peace or belong?

Inspired by a heart-to-heart with my dear friend(Grace)

With love,
Florence 💕
ReflectWithFlo

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When I Forgot God Was My Father

I recently came across @thedolapolawal message about what it really means to call God “Father.” It sounds simple, it is something I’ve said in prayers, in songs for as long as I can remember, yet somewhere along the way, I realized I wasn’t living like someone who truly believed it.

I’ve been walking around like a child trying to prove she’s worthy to stay in the house, instead of a daughter who already belongs there.
Always trying to earn rest, earn favor, earn love, even though all along, my father’s arms were open.

The preacher said, “Many of us are living like spiritual orphans; praying to a God who loves us, but still acting like He might leave us.” And I felt that deeply. Because that’s exactly how I’ve been living; cautious with my heart, afraid to do too much, as if I could exhaust His patience, doubtful if he is really there or if I am really that important to Him and using my own logic forgetting He is the wisdom before time began.

But that’s not who He is.
Romans 8:15 reminds me, “You have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when He adopted you as His own children. Now we call Him, ‘Abba, Father.’”

When I sit with those words, I realize how often I’ve forgotten that I’m loved, not for what I do, but because of who He is.
He didn’t just forgive me; He adopted me. He didn’t just save me; He called me His own.

And in the quiet moments when I feel lost or small, I’m learning to whisper again, “I’m not fatherless.”
Because I’m not. He never left.
He’s been here all along, in the silence, in the waiting, in the gentle ways He keeps drawing me back home.

So today, I’m choosing to rest not to earn His approval, but because I already have it.
I’m learning to live like a daughter again.

“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” (John 14:18)

Reflection:
Maybe you should pause and ask yourself; Am I living like a loved child or like someone still trying to earn love? Let that question draw you back into His arms. 💛

With love,
Florence 💕
ReflectWithFlo

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Honest Living; Even When It’s Not Perfect

This week didn’t go exactly as planned.
I had a list…a schedule of things I wanted to do, the ones that felt important and the ones that were simply necessary. But as the days unfolded, life’s rhythm took its own course. Some tasks were left untouched, and others took more time than I expected.

Yet, even in the middle of that imperfection, I found peace.

I did what I could, and I did it with sincerity. And that, to me, is fulfillment.

Like I said earlier this week, I’m living honestly for me. Not by the measure of a perfect to-do list or flawless days but by the quiet truth of showing up with my best, even when it doesn’t look like much.

I’m learning to honor the small wins, to celebrate the moments I stay true to myself, and to rest without guilt.

So, here’s to honest living to doing what we can, trusting God with what we can’t, and embracing the gentle rhythm of grace that carries us through every season.

Cheers to a restful weekend.

📖 “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.” (Proverbs 16:3)

With love,
Florence 💕
ReflectWithFlo