As a recovering people-pleaser, I wanted a song for remembering to shut the door of my mind and listen to my own inner voice, rather than letting the thoughts and feelings of others inundate me and carry me away.
(Again, I’m going with the “good enough, moving on” approach—but I will explain one blooper in this video, in case you wonder: the word “advocate” is garbled because I’m trying not to laugh about my cat jumping through the background. 😆)
“Shut the Door” lyrics
I used to have to live like my mind was not my own.
Safety came from keeping peace.
I tied myself in knots around other people’s feelings
and shrank me to put them at ease.
But now I’m learning real safety starts inside.
Shut the door; pull the curtains
all around my mind.
They can cope with their feelings.
I must tend to mine.
Navigate by what I want,
not by what I fear.
I’ve got skills to protect me now.
I don’t need to stay bowed down—
just stay in here.
Real safety comes from tending my body and my mind,
speaking up for what I need,
standing in my right to make my own decisions,
and following my own heart’s lead.
And when I’m shrinking, all I have to do
is shut the door; pull the curtains
all around my mind.
They can cope with their feelings.
I must tend to mine.
Navigate by what I want,
not by what I fear,
living lights on, free, aware,
for I won’t find peace out there—
only in here.
I am working to make my mind a safe place
and become my own advocate and guide,
so that whatever happens, what hard things come,
I’ll be on my side.
Shut the door; pull the curtains
all around my mind.
They can cope with their feelings.
I must tend to mine.
Navigate by what I want,
not by what I fear,
living lights on, free, aware,
for I won’t find peace out there—
only in here.
Just stay in here.
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