Most of my life has been spent hiding from life

Most of my life has been spent hiding from, well, life.

In middle school I gave up after nearly a decade of piano lessons because I could no longer control my hands shaking from fear of making a mistake.

In high school I regularly ate lunch alone under the stairs because I was too afraid I would say something wrong and people wouldn't like me.

In college and through most of my early career I was terrified to raise my hand or ask a question, for fear I would be reprimanded for being stupid.

During the last two years of my marriage I had anxiety so intensely that I stopped driving and rarely left the house, isolating myself as some form of self preservation.

It wasn't until I was forced to start over that I was able to face my fears.

Don't get me wrong - I still have anxiety. But now I know the truth, that I am stronger than it is. 💪

Which leads me to my next point...

When I started showing up on LinkedIn, I remember being inspired by the stories of people who had overcome their challenges (yes, on a professional platform - gasp!! 😉) .

These stories gave me hope and courage to move forward during my own season of hard times.

And that's exactly why I share parts of my story here, too. Not because my life in particular needs attention, but because there are pieces we can all relate to.

In my opinion, that's literally what being a human is all about - connection. We connect through our experiences, feelings, and sometimes our pain.

But along with that, I believe our strength is shared. And when I have a little extra, like today, I am compelled to offer it to you.

So here you go - here's a reminder that you can do hard things and you're stronger than you think. Don't let the past define you, but rather move forward with faith that it gets better. Because it does get better. 💙

P.S. Thank you, to everyone who has provided inspiration, encouragement, and support on this platform. It makes a difference.

Have a great weekend 💫