On a recent episode of her podcast IMO, Michelle Obama opened up about her much-talked-about decision to miss Donald Trump’s second inauguration.

The former first lady shared that skipping the event was simply what felt right for her — not an act of protest, but a personal choice rooted in self-care and setting boundaries.

Speaking with guest Taraji P. Henson, Obama revealed that it wasn’t easy. She had to “trick herself” by refusing to have anything prepared to wear, knowing it would stop her from changing her mind last minute.

“It started with not having a dress,” she said. “Because once you have a dress, it’s easy to just go.”

Rumors had swirled around her absence — some speculated tension in her marriage or resentment toward the event.

But Michelle made it clear: her decision was about reclaiming her time and learning to say no, something she hopes young women, including her daughters, will learn early on.

She reflected on the pressures of always “going high” in the public eye and admitted that it’s taken therapy and years of reflection to realize she is, finally, enough.

“We got out alive,” she said. “But what happened to me?”