Don’t Shrink for Anyone: A Letter to My Niece (And Every Young Woman Reclaiming Her Shine) ✨

Jessica Hopkins
May 25
2 min read

Updated: May 28

There she was...cap on, eyes bright, wrapped in ruffles and resilience. Walking across that stage not just as a graduate, but as a survivor. A symbol of light, strength, and the quiet kind of bravery most people will never understand. This blog is for her. And for every young woman who’s been told to sit down, be small, dim her light. Don’t shrink for anyone.

Dear Niece,

Look at You Now

You’ve been through things that could have broken you. Things most people will never know because you kept showing up gracefully, powerfully, and with your head held high.

You were told you were too loud, too much, too emotional, too ambitious. But you kept rising. You kept dreaming. You kept believing in something more. That’s not just survival. That’s power.

This Is What Thriving Looks Like

You didn’t let your pain define you. You didn’t let your past pin you down. You wore your confidence, your sparkle, your ruffles, and your truth out loud and unapologetically.

That’s what thriving looks like. Not perfect. Not untouched. But undeniably visible.

To the Girls Coming After You

Let them stare. Let them talk. Let them wonder how you still have joy after everything.

Because when you reclaim your voice, your story, and your power you give permission for others to do the same.

Final Words

So here’s to my niece. And to every woman who’s ever felt silenced, sidelined, or made to feel “too much.” Don’t shrink. Don’t dim. Don’t disappear. You were never meant to blend in. You were born to take up space. And you are the proof that you can rise...beautiful, bold, and free.