The Strongest Version of me isn’t the one smiling in the Photos —

Poem by Israel Akindele (Isaac Aju’s Poet Of The Month, June, 2026)

The strongest version of me is not the one smiling in photos.

It's the one nobody sees.

The one fighting battles in silence.

The one showing up when motivation is gone.

The one carrying responsibilities while pretending everything is okay.

People often mistake quietness for weakness.

They see you less active.

Less energetic.

Less cheerful.

And they assume you're losing.

What they don't see is the war happening behind the scenes.

The sleepless nights.

The difficult decisions.

The disappointments.

The pressure.

The moments you wanted to quit but didn't.

Never judge someone's strength by their appearance on a difficult day.

Sometimes the people who look the most exhausted are fighting the hardest battles.

And sometimes the strongest people are the ones who refuse to give up when nobody would blame them for doing so.

So if you're having one of those days today, keep going.

Not every battle is meant to be seen.

Not every victory comes with applause.

Some victories are simply getting up and refusing to surrender.

Do not confuse my bad days as a sign of weakness.

Those are actually the days I am fighting my hardest.

Israel Akindele is a Nigerian poet, food entrepreneur and memoirist. He was picked as Isaac Aju’s Poet Of The Month for June, 2026.