Dear Cycle Breaker,
Today, we honor Martin Luther King Jr.—a name that lives in our hearts, our history books, and our collective imagination.
And yet, I want to gently name something many of us feel but rarely say out loud:
There is a gap between the Dr. King we were taught to admire and the human being who actually lived.
On paper, he is often remembered as the embodiment of peace, moral clarity, and nonviolence—a figure whose words feel comforting, almost soothing. A version of Dr. King that fits neatly into a “goodness will prevail” narrative.
But history tells us something more complex.
Between the 26-year-old organizer of the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the 39-year-old author of Where Do We Go from Here: Chaos or Community?, we see evolution. Disillusionment. A sharpening critique of capitalism, militarism, and systemic injustice. A movement away from respectability politics toward collective liberation.
And beyond his political evolution, there was personal complexity, too—imperfection, contradiction, humanity.
This is not about diminishing his legacy.
In my opinion, it’s about honoring it more honestly.
Because real transformation is never flat.
The Cycle Breaker Reflection
This is where Dr. King’s story meets ours.
As cycle breakers, many of us know this tension intimately.
There is often a gap between:
- Who we look like on paper
- Who people need us to stay as
- And who we are actually becoming
Living open-hearted comes with a cost.
Growth can disrupt the story others are invested in telling about us.
Our imperfections exist alongside our brilliance.
Our evolution can feel threatening to systems—and relationships—that benefited from our earlier survival selves.
And sometimes… staying misunderstood comes with shadow benefits:
‣ Familiar roles
‣ Predictability
‣ A sense of belonging rooted in who we used to be
But it can also keep us stuck in old cycles.
So today, alongside service and remembrance, I want to invite you into reflection.
A Gentle Invitation (Head → Heart → Action)
Head — Awareness
Where is there a gap between how you are perceived and how you actually feel inside?
Heart — Compassion
What emotions or unmet needs arise when your growth isn’t fully seen or understood?
Action — Embodiment
What is one small way you can show up more authentically this week—
or root into community that does see and receive who you are today?
What would help you feel resourced enough to tolerate the discomfort of that gap—without abandoning yourself?
Dr. King’s journey reminds us that collective liberation requires evolution, courage, and the willingness to be misunderstood in service of truth.
You don’t have to flatten yourself to be lovable.
You don’t have to stop growing to stay connected.
And you don’t have to walk this alone.
If this reflection resonates, I invite you into our Cycle Breaker community—a space for honest conversation, nervous-system-aware growth, and open-hearted becoming.
Come sit with us.
With care,
Kim 💛
Founder, Healing Insight Therapy & Wellness Collective
