For most of my life, I was waiting.
Waiting for the right moment.
Waiting for the right opportunity.
Waiting for someone to see something in me that I couldn’t yet see in myself.
Maybe it came from growing up with a little bit of that Cinderella mindset. You know the one. The belief that one day someone would arrive with the answers. Someone would open the right door, choose you, rescue you, and somehow life would become everything you dreamed it could be.
I don’t think I even realized I was doing it.
I spent years being a wife, a mother, a caregiver, and a stay-at-home mom. And I wouldn’t change those years for anything. But somewhere along the way, I forgot that I was allowed to have dreams too.
Not because anyone told me I couldn’t.
Because I was waiting.
Waiting for permission.
Waiting for confidence.
Waiting for certainty.
Then life happened.
Life has a way of teaching lessons that no book, no movie, and no fairy tale ever could.
Over the last 13 years, something began to shift inside me.
At first, I didn’t notice it.
I thought I was helping other people. I thought I was creating connections. I thought I was building friendships and bringing people together.
And I was.
But what I didn’t realize was that every conversation, every friendship, every tear, every laugh, and every “me too” moment was quietly changing me too.
Not because someone else was rescuing me.
Because I was finally discovering myself.
I started to understand that the life I wanted wasn’t going to arrive at my front door.
Nobody was coming with a magic wand.
Nobody was going to hand me confidence.
Nobody was going to hand me purpose.
Nobody was going to hand me joy.
I had to create it.
I had to choose it.
I had to become the person willing to build it.
The most beautiful surprise of my life wasn’t finding success or recognition.
It was finding myself.
It was realizing that I am stronger than I ever imagined.
That I can get on a plane by myself.
Travel across the world.
Walk into a room where I know no one.
Start a conversation.
Create a friendship.
Take a chance.
Dream bigger.
At 65 years old, I finally understand something I wish I had known decades ago.
The person you’ve been waiting for is you.
You are the one who can change your life.
You are the one who can open the door.
You are the one who can take the first step.
And the funny thing is, once you do, the world starts opening in ways you never expected.
The last few years have brought people into my life that I could never have imagined. Some live down the street. Some live thousands of miles away. Some started as strangers and became sisters, brothers, and lifelong friends.
Out of eight billion people in the world, I somehow keep meeting the best of the best.
People who remind me that kindness still exists.
That hope still exists.
That connection still exists.
People who remind me that life can get better at any age.
That’s the part I wish everyone knew.
You don’t have to wait.
Don’t wait for someone to choose you.
Don’t wait for someone to save you.
Don’t wait for permission to become who you’re meant to be.
Start now.
Take the walk.
Make the call.
Book the trip.
Start the conversation.
Share the idea.
Follow the dream that’s been sitting quietly in your heart.
Because someday arrives faster than you think.
If there’s one thing these last 13 years have taught me, it’s this:
The life you’ve been searching for may not be found in another person, another place, or another circumstance.
It may be waiting on the other side of your own courage.
I spent years looking for someone to rescue me.
What I finally discovered was something far more beautiful.
I rescued myself.
And in doing so, I found a life bigger, brighter, more connected, and more meaningful than anything I could have imagined.
My only wish is that you don’t wait until you’re 65 to discover the same thing.
The world you’re looking for may already be looking for you.
You just have to be brave enough to go find it. 🤍
By Contributor: Kim Bellas, Founder, Sober is the New Cool
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SOBER POETRY: This is a space where recovery and creativity meet. It features heartfelt verses that capture the emotions of sobriety. Written by various Sober Curator Contributors and readers about their recovery journeys, these poems provide inspiration, healing, and reflection for readers seeking solace and connection.
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What is “I Rescued Myself” by Kim Bellas about?
“I Rescued Myself” is a lyrical reflection about waiting for someone else to bring confidence, purpose, or change, and eventually realizing that true rescue begins within. Kim Bellas writes about self-discovery, courage, reinvention, and choosing to build a meaningful life.
Is “I Rescued Myself” a poem?
Yes. While it reads like a lyrical personal essay or prose poem, “I Rescued Myself” fits beautifully in the Sober Poetry section because of its repetition, emotional rhythm, reflective structure, and central metaphor of self-rescue.
What is the main message of “I Rescued Myself”?
The main message is that you do not have to wait for someone else to choose, save, or give you permission to become who you are meant to be. The poem encourages readers to take the first step, follow their dreams, and recognize their own courage.
Who should read this sober poem?
This piece is a strong fit for readers in recovery, people navigating reinvention, women entering a new chapter of life, and anyone who has spent years waiting for permission to begin. It is especially meaningful for readers who need a reminder that it is never too late to choose themselves.
Why does this poem belong in Sober Poetry?
This poem belongs in Sober Poetry because it speaks to emotional recovery, self-trust, courage, connection, and the process of building a life from the inside out. It is not about alcohol directly, but it carries the deeper recovery theme of reclaiming yourself.
What does “I rescued myself” mean?
“I rescued myself” means recognizing that the life, confidence, and purpose you are seeking may not come from another person or perfect circumstance. It is about becoming brave enough to take action, open your own doors, and create the life you once hoped someone else would hand you.
