As for looking ahead to how Spears wants to move on with her life, she said: “Last year was growth for me… I still have a way to go! My goal for this year is to push myself a bit more and do things that scare me but not too much […] but I do know what makes me happy and brings me joy and I try to meditate on those places and thoughts that enable me to experience it!”

Although there’s no doubt that fans would love nothing more than to see Britney releasing new music, reigniting her Vegas tour and performing for the pure joy of what she was so good at, her decision to find peace within herself while simultaneously flipping the bird to an industry that let her suffer for so long feels apt.

Though the insecurities that she described in her message surely affect Spears deeply, she’s managed to unapologetically remind us of the strength she’s found within to push on with a life that’s finally under her own control.

Britney Spears unapologetically explains why she will not be releasing new music now her conservatorship has ended