As the year comes to a close, we all start to naturally reflect on the past 12 months. This week, I went to breakfast with family and we all talked about our highlights of the year and it’s made me reflect.
This year was full of incredibly hard challenges. It was my first full year of single motherhood and I had to dive head-first into healing the trauma I had from my relationship. I had to continually fight my inner voice that shamed me from moving forward with a divorce. I fought my gut that told me to leave until I had a discovery that allowed my heart, gut, and mind to all align and finally make the decision I knew I needed to. I spent way too many conversations trying to convince people in my life that divorce was the best option for me. I had to find ways to heal and grieve while full-time parenting. I had to juggle all of the tasks of motherhood alone. It was so hard and impossible at times.
But I did it. I learned how to dance the delicate dance of healing, grieving, and growing. I learned to find happiness and joy in the pain. I grew more resilient than I ever thought was possible. I found the strength to give presentations on self-love and self-care when I was so deep in my struggle. I beautifully experienced life and truly started to live for me, in the way I wanted to live.
And I can truly say I’m ending 2023 happier than I started it. I can say I’ve healed, I’ve emotionally separated from my past, and I’m embarking on a future of the beautiful unknown. I trust myself. I love myself. And I truly love my life, even if there are parts I wish I could change or do differently.
And I’m just so blessed that I had so many wonderful moments with my daughter this year. From seeing her first steps to watching her learn to speak in sentences, take off her coat on her own, or have her help me cook in the kitchen. We experienced it all together. We traveled together, we had special Mommy Daughter dates, we laughed and we played. A true highlight was watching her grow and our bond only strengthened in love.
And I’m thankful for all of you. Who lift me higher and continue to inspire me to share my story of this new chapter of my life. I’m thankful for all of the schools and organizations that have invested in my work and mental wellness. I can only hope that my message continues to be shared across the country in the years to come. But until then, I’m living in this beautiful unknown. And I’m ready for it all.
And I hope you are too. No matter how hard 2023 was for you, I hope you’re ready for whatever comes next. Because good things are always coming and you are worthy of experiencing those good things. So cheers to the beautiful unknown that is the future. May it be everything we want for ourselves, and if it isn’t, may we remember that we are strong enough to face the storms ahead. I know that I am, and you are too.
Xo,
Be Beautifully Simply You