Write about a time when you didn’t take action but wish you had. What would you do differently?
I didn’t leave the first time.
And that sentence sits heavier than it should.
It’s strange, the things we convince ourselves of in the moment.
“That wasn’t really what it looked like.”
“They didn’t mean it.”
“It won’t happen again.”
We build these little stories—not because they’re true, but because they’re easier to live with.
Because the alternative?
That’s messy. That’s terrifying. That means change.
Looking back now, the warning signs weren’t subtle.
They never are, really.
They just get quieter the longer you ignore them.
Or maybe… you get better at pretending you can’t hear them.
If I could go back—if I could stand in that exact moment again, knowing what I know now—
I wouldn’t argue.
I wouldn’t explain.
I wouldn’t wait for it to make sense.
I’d leave.
No grand speech.
No dramatic ending.
Just… leave.
Because staying didn’t fix anything.
It just taught me how much I was willing to tolerate before I finally chose myself.
And that’s a lesson I wish I’d learned sooner.
Sometimes growth isn’t about what you did.
It’s about what you didn’t do…
and finally understanding why you should have.
Stay safe
Bc
1.5 million males, aged 16 years and over, experienced domestic abuse in the last year (stats from ONS uk)
The Ramblings of Bob Christian 