This is not a story about success. It’s a story about survival.

I didn’t come here to write an inspirational post.
And I’m not writing this because I’ve figured it all out.
I’m writing because I feel like if I don’t – I’ll forget who I used to be.

I came to Norway seven years ago.
People might expect that to be the beginning of a new life.
But if I’m honest – it was the beginning of a silence I never saw coming.

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❄️ A silence that wasn’t just outside

The winters here are not just weather.
They sink into your bones, into your voice, into your mood.
The days were short. The people were distant. The words – even shorter.

At first, I tried.
To fit in. To prove myself. To be strong.
But somewhere along the way, I stopped speaking.
And while pretending to smile – I lost my real one.

I gave birth to two children here.
They are my sunshine. Without them, I might have forgotten what light feels like.

But I’m learning that I also need light.
I need my smile back.

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💙 So this is where I begin – with one small wish

I don’t want to pretend anymore.
But I don’t want sadness to be my whole story either.

This blog – it’s not a collection of complaints.
It’s not a polished success story either.
It’s a map back to myself.

Not to who I was. But to who I still am – deep down.
The woman with a laugh so loud it once echoed.
The one who believed in people. The one who used to smile for real.

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🌊 Maybe you’re looking for your smile, too?

Maybe you’re also far from home.
Or maybe you’re home but feel like a stranger in your own life.
Maybe you’re tired of pretending. Tired of being strong.

If so – you’re not alone.

This space is for me to reclaim my voice.
And maybe, if you need one too, it can be for you as well.

I’m not offering answers. Just honesty.
And maybe – just maybe – if I keep writing,
and keep remembering who I am…

My smile will come back.

by.ordinarywoman