A letter from December 16th, 2019

Dear FutureMe, I am so proud of you. You have shown that you can do more than feel things passionately; you can exercise your voice in support of causes you care about and missions you feel are worthy. You stopped using your introvertedness as a crutch and recognized that beautiful things and personal growth are just on the other side of discomfort. If it isn't hard and you aren't confident, you're not growing. I hope you continue to push yourself. Just because you're an adult in your 40s doesn't mean you have to stop growing. Keep becoming the person you were meant to be. every. single. day. Keep showing up for the messy and awkward and new and hard. You might shine. You might falter. But you won't live a life of "wishes" and "should haves" and "I wonder ifs." The worst kind of regrets are chances and opportunities you didn't take. Be bold - even is it's scary AF. And for all that is good and holy, give yourself grace. No one has higher expectations for yourself than you. When you want to climb mountains, know that you're bound to stumble. And if you only make it 3/4 of the way, still celebrate it. Somewhere someone is sitting on their couch with their hand in a bag of potato chips. You aren't that person - congratulate yourself for every attempt you take that someone else doesn't have the courage to. Don't look at compromise as failure, at scaling back your ambitions when they aren't realistic, as disaster. Give yourself permission to rest. Permission to breath. Permission to reset your goals, adjust a project so it's more manageable, and permission to be human in a messy world. You will still wake every day and run like your hair is on fire toward your dreams; it's who you are and how you're wired, my girl. You have grit. You have gumption. You have goals. But there are only so many hours in the day. When darkness falls, lay down your head with a sense of pride in all you've done and the person you're still becoming. Be grateful for each breath and the people who stand beside you. Reflection and gratitude will give you a sweeter life, better perspective, and brighter outlook. You have come so far. And there is still so many more places to go. Embrace the journey.