Atlas grew up in a toxic household.
Mom was alcoholic. Dad was abusive. Neither were loving.
After going through traumatic childhood and teenage of wandering alone as a homeless kid, Atlas finally grew up to become an independent, mature human being.
Only to find out he had a younger brother Josh who spent the first 12 years of his life exactly that!
— When Colleen Hoover shared this story in her book “It Starts with Us”, Atlas asks only of ONE thing of her mother, when she wants to be in their life:
Each time we meet for our weekly family dinner, I want you to be interested in Josh. Even if you fake it, but please do that once a week.
It is so strange our human need is to be seen. Which is why, we work incessantly to be “seen busy”. At least we are getting attention.
The way to fix this is to start seeing yourself as an adult. And to know that no one else is going to do that for you. It’s a journey, certainly longer than a post, but for now, please take it with you:
You need attention. Give it to yourself through the right rituals. So you could finally be free.
