The High Road: Staying True to Myself, Even When It Hurts.
- Shrima Gopal
- Sep 11
- 4 min read
On choosing kindness, empathy, and authenticity in a world that often tests them.
I’ve been hurt, betrayed, and talked about behind my back. Each time, I’ve wondered if I should change, harden myself, and stop trusting so easily. But the truth is, I can’t. Because being genuine, kind, and open isn’t just something I do. It’s who I am. And every time I’ve tried to shut down that part of me, I’ve lost my peace. So I choose to stay true, no matter what.
The Pain of Being Hurt
I won’t pretend that staying true to myself is always easy. Every time I get hurt, I cry. I spiral into fault-finding and negative self-talk. I question my choices and wonder if I should stop trusting others altogether.
But deep down, I know that’s not my nature.
I am genuine. I can adjust my life, my time, and my energy to help others—even if I’ve only known them a few days. That’s just who I am.
There have been times when, in bitterness, I’ve tried to shut myself off. I’ve forced myself not to help, even when my heart was pulling me in the opposite direction. But every time I did that, it created more stress and sadness inside me. Denying my nature made me feel like I was being inhuman.
“Every time I’ve shut my heart, I’ve lost my peace. Staying true to myself is the only way I feel whole.”
And strangely, even when the very people who betrayed me later find themselves in distress, I am often the first one there to help them. I don’t plan it—it just comes naturally. I empathize. I feel their pain.
My husband jokes that the only way to take this quality out of me would be through a blood transfusion. For a long time, I thought maybe he was right—that this part of me was too much, that it made me weak. But as the years pass, I’ve grown to see it differently. This is not my flaw—it is my gift. And I’m proud of it.
Choosing Not to Become Someone I’m Not
Yes, people will disappoint you. They will let you down in ways you never saw coming. But does that mean I should stop being kind? Stop trusting? Stop showing up with an open heart?
For me, the answer is no.
I’ve made peace with the fact that not everyone I meet will be genuine. Some people come into our lives for reasons we don’t always understand right away. Maybe they teach us something. Maybe they help us grow. Or maybe they simply remind us of what we don’t want to become.
And then, once their role is complete, they drift away.
“The universe has its own timing. The people who are meant to stay will stay. The ones who are not will leave.”
The Power of the High Road
Taking the high road doesn’t mean I don’t notice when someone talks behind my back or takes advantage of my trust.
It means I choose not to respond in the same way.
The high road is about protecting my peace. It’s about remembering that someone else’s behavior reflects who they are—not who I am. It’s about refusing to let bitterness or resentment take root in my heart.
“Someone else’s actions reveal who they are, not who I am.”
Does it hurt sometimes? Absolutely. But nothing hurts more than losing yourself.
My Nature Is My Strength
I am kind. I am genuine. I am open. I am vulnerable. I trust easily. For a long time, I saw those traits as risks. But now I see them for what they truly are: strengths.
Being vulnerable allows me to love deeply.
Being open helps me connect authentically.
Being trusting frees me from living in constant fear.
Being kind ensures I walk through life without regrets.
Being genuine lets me give freely, even when others cannot give back.
“What used to feel like weakness, I now recognize as my greatest strength.”
Yes, those qualities leave me exposed to hurt. But they also allow me to live a life that feels real. And that’s worth so much more than living behind walls.
Why I Refuse to Change
The world will always test us. It will try to harden us, to make us cynical, to convince us that protecting ourselves means shutting down our hearts.
But I refuse to let it.
I will not let the actions of others push me into becoming someone I am not. I will not compromise my values for temporary protection. I will not sacrifice authenticity for safety.
Because at the end of the day, what matters most is not how others treated me—but how I chose to show up despite it.
“I choose to stay true. Always.”
✨ If you’re reading this and you’ve felt the same way—if you’ve been hurt and wondered if you should change who you are—let me remind you: you don’t have to. Your kindness, your openness, your trust—they are not flaws. They are rare gifts. Don’t let the world take them away from you.
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