When the Weight Isn't Just Unemployment — It's the People Around You

When the Weight Isn't Just Unemployment — It's the People Around You

There’s something that people don’t talk about when you’re unemployed, or when you’ve taken a gap year with no income, no job, no clear direction:

It’s not just the financial struggle.

It’s the emotional weight that builds — day after day — from the environment you're stuck in.

It’s the way people look at you.

The way they talk to you.

Or about you.

The little things they say that dig deep under your skin and stay there.

I’ve been unemployed for three months now.

Three months of hearing silence when I talk.

Three months of feeling invisible in a room full of people who share my blood.

I started a blog — not to go viral, not to be praised, not even to be seen.

Just to breathe.

To put things somewhere.

Nobody knows it exists. And maybe that’s a good thing.

At home, I feel like I’ve become a target.

The firstborn, yet the one spoken to like I’m a nobody.

They fight me.

They talk over me.

They blame me.

And somehow, they never see themselves.

Is this just "siblings stuff”?

Or is this something more?

Because it’s starting to feel like emotional manipulation. Control. Maybe even narcissism — not the watered-down version people use online, but the kind that hides in plain sight.

Some of the Signs I’ve Seen (And Felt)

They never listen. Ever. But expect me to hear every word they say.

They make fun of my silence and accuse me when I speak.

They twist things — always. Somehow, I’m the one at fault.

They use guilt like a weapon.

They act like my efforts mean nothing, and like I should be grateful just to exist in their space.

I didn’t know that home could feel like this.

That being alive, but unemployed, could make people treat you like you don’t count.

That trying to heal or grow could make people want to shrink you even more.

And the worst part is not being able to leave — not having the money or the power to walk out.

You see the walls.

You see the damage.

But you're locked in.

And the key isn’t yours yet.

I’m not writing this for pity. I’m not writing it to inspire anyone.

This is for me.

To get it out.

Because keeping it in was making me sick in ways I couldn’t even name.

If you’ve read this far, maybe you’ve been there too.

Or maybe you're just seeing someone else's truth.

That’s fine. I don’t need to be understood.

I just need to feel what’s real. 🥲

Why Can't America Just Mind Its Own Business? A Burkina Faso Story

Why Can't America Just Mind Its Own Business? A Burkina Faso Story

By Lili Phedra 

When I look at what's happening between Burkina Faso and the so-called "defenders of freedom" in the American government, I honestly can't help but shake my head. It's embarrassing. It's confusing. And frankly, it's just plain annoying.

Let me tell you exactly what I see.

Ever since Burkina Faso finally took a real stand for its full independence — not just on paper, but in action — it’s like America lost its mind. You’d think they'd be happy for a country choosing freedom, right? Isn't that what they preach about day and night?

Apparently not. Apparently, if you decide to be free on your own terms (and not under their supervision), it's a "problem."

Now, let’s talk about General Michael Langley. The U.S. didn’t even bother to send a white man this time — no, no. They sent a Black general, hoping we wouldn't notice the manipulation. As if African people are so shallow that we'll just say, "Oh, he's Black, so he must be on our side!" Please. Give us some credit.

Listen — it's not about race. It's not about skin color. It's about the dirty games of the American government — yes, the whole system. They are furious because Burkina Faso has proven that Africa can think for itself, govern itself, and protect itself without Western babysitting.

And the deeper I think about it, the more upset I get. Because here’s the thing:

Trump — yes, Mr. "Make America Great Again" himself — knows about this. He’s not blind. He knows how valuable Burkina Faso is. He knows about the gold, the minerals, the strategic location.

And if he truly stood for "freedom," if he truly believed in "liberation," he would have spoken up.

He would have said, “Hey, General Langley, stand down. Let those people be.”

But did he?

Crickets.

At this point, I realize it’s not about Trump versus Biden, red versus blue, left versus right.

It’s about the fact that they all love the benefits of Africa’s suffering, as long as it keeps their wallets fat and their egos inflated. They all know what's going on — and they're fine with it.

So what does America really want from Burkina Faso?

Simple:

Gold.

Resources.

Obedience.

Silence.

And when we dare to say, “No thank you, we'll manage ourselves,” they send a pretty face with a fancy uniform to try to scare us back into line.

Well, guess what?

We’re not scared anymore.

We see you.

We know what you’re doing.

Burkina Faso is standing strong — and in doing so, it's waking up the whole continent.

And no matter how many generals they send, no matter how many "aid packages" or "military partnerships" they offer, the spirit of independence is alive.

Disclaimer:

All of this pictures are copyrighted not owned by me!