Clap For Yourself, Nobody Else Has To

You wake before the morning light
Tired eyes, but still you fight
Coffee cold, dreams on hold
But you show up, heart made of gold

They don't see the wars you've won
The silent battles, one by one
No trophy, crowd, or cheering sound
But you still stand, you're glory-bound

You don't need a stage to shine
Or someone else to draw the line
In your mirror, you find grace
You clap loud in your own space

Clap for yourself, nobody else has to
Dance in your truth, even if they pass you
You've come so far through the quiet and pain
They may not see it, but clap anyway
Clap for yourself-'cause you know what it cost you
Love every scar, let your strength exhaust you
You're not waiting for their eyes to say
You're enough
You clap anyway

You've heard "too much," you've heard "too small"
Been told to shrink, been told to crawl
But every "no" you turned to fire
Every fall became a wire

You walk alone, but not unseen
A warrior wrapped in softest skin
You laugh like you remember pain
And wear your name like a hurricane

No need for likes to feel alive
You're your own reason to survive
In every breath, you make your way
A quiet storm that won't obey

Clap for yourself, nobody else has to
Dance in your truth, even if they pass you
You've come so far through the quiet and pain
They may not see it, but clap anyway
Clap for yourself-'cause you know what it cost you
Love every scar, let your strength exhaust you
You're not waiting for their eyes to say
You're enough
You clap anyway

For the girls who cry in bathrooms
For the moms with empty bedrooms
For the dreamers laughed at loud
For the broken, still unbowed

Raise your hands for every tear
You're still standing, loud and clear
You're the proof that grace survives
In the silence, you arrive

Clap for yourself, nobody else has to
Don't wait, don't break, the world can't outlast you
You've come so far through the quiet and pain
They may not see it, but clap anyway
Clap for yourself-'cause you know what it cost you
You're not waiting for their eyes to say
You're enough
You clap anyway

You don't need their hands
You were always the applause