The Devil's Playground

The "Devil's Playground" is a place where:

Trust is fragile.
Appearances are deceiving.
True connection is impossible.

This is definitely not a fanfic or a horror story.

A horror story? Yeah, you could say that once you finish reading this.

Anyway, this is just a short article. Or perhaps it's simply my honest thoughts from an email I've had for a year that I've been avoiding because I was hesitant and wasn't ready to answer them.

The email simply said, "I'm afraid of you." That's all.

I'm wondering if maybe this person is just a little scared of how real and honest I am. It's a strange thing to consider that just being me could scare someone. I never thought of it that way. Am I too blunt? Too intense? I don't want to intentionally scare anyone, but I also don't want to compromise who I am. It's a delicate balance.

Okay, so this email has been hanging over my head for a while, and I figured it's time to address it. I wanted to share my side of the story because I think it's something worth discussing. So, I'm ready to answer them.

Should you be worried about me being a bit blunt? Not really.

The real ones you should be afraid of are the following:

People who try too hard to please everyone just to fit into this cruel world.
People who have no sense of healthy boundaries.
People who prioritize external validation over their own happiness.

Why? Because those people aren't being real with themselves. You never really know what they are up to. They might seem all nice and friendly on the surface, but who knows what they're really thinking. Let me ask you. Are you willing to risk your emotional health on someone who might be hiding their true intentions?

If I'm not making sense, maybe I should introduce you to my little theory. I call it the "Devil's Playground." It's basically my 'excuse' for being blunt. 😉 Let me break it down for you.

These are the folks you should be scared of. Now that I've shared my little… observation, I have some advice. But be warned, this isn't for everyone. Definitely not for the faint of heart.

If you ask me, it's better for your mental health to surround yourself with people who are brutally honest but have pure intentions and know what they really want, rather than those who are always available and kind to everyone (which seems too good to be true) but deep inside, they are judging you, manipulating situations, gossiping behind your back and worst of all, even betraying you.

Is it really better for our mental health to surround ourselves with brutally honest people? I know it sounds a little intense, but hear me out. Let me clarify what I mean by "brutally honest."

I'm talking about people who are honest without being hateful, who respect others' opinions and would never troll or tear down someone's happiness.

Think about it for a second. When we're surrounded by people who always sugarcoat things or tell us what we want to hear, we might end up feeling like we're living in a bit of a bubble. But having friends or loved ones who aren't afraid to tell us the truth, even if it's tough to hear, can really help us grow and become better people. I understand it can be hard to have those honest conversations at times. But in the long run, it could really benefit our mental health by keeping us grounded and helping us see things from a different perspective.

Honesty is like gold - it's valuable. But let's not confuse genuine honesty with someone who's just pretending to be your friend while they're actually scheming behind your back. There's a big difference.

It's the worst feeling when someone you thought was a "friend" or a "good person in the public eye" ends up doing you dirty, making you look bad to others so that people will see only them as the good one and YOU as the villain. It really sucks when they twist the truth and get everyone else to believe their made-up stories. You're left feeling helpless. You can't do anything about it while people are forming opinions of you that aren't even true. It's really not fair at all and recovering from the damage to your reputation can be incredibly difficult.

Experiences like these make me appreciate the value of honesty and direct communication.

Being blunt is all about just telling it like it is and being straight up with people. My honesty might sting sometimes, but at least 'you' always know where you stand. Trust me, it saves a lot of drama down the line. Yeah, I may not sugarcoat things, but at least you don't have to worry about hidden surprises, right? No confusion, no mixed messages, just straight-up facts. It might not always be the most comfortable approach. I know. But I think it's important to cut through the BS and get straight to the point. I'm at a stage in my life where I prefer to focus on genuine connections. I'm working on being authentic while remaining considerate of others.

I hope I didn't scare you off with my honesty. If I did, I'm sorry about that. Just want to assure you that not all honest people like me are scary or someone you should be afraid of. I mean, I'm just out here trying to keep it real and stay far "far" away from any unnecessary drama.

Seriously, take care of yourself. It really matters! Be mindful of the people you meet online, but also be aware of your surroundings and the people you interact with in person. Trust your instincts. If anything makes you feel trapped or feel like you're stuck somewhere—whether it's a conversation, a place, or a relationship—don't hesitate to step away. Run! Never, ever feel obligated to stay in a situation that makes you uncomfortable. You don't owe anyone an explanation. You have the right to choose who you spend your time with and where you spend your energy. It's okay to lose people who don't choose to stay. Value those who value you. If they leave, let them.

Don't sweat losing people who don't care about losing you...