I’m Slowly Learning To Appreciate How Far I’ve Come

Like most people, I tend to focus on my faults. I know I have a lot of them. I have so many things I want to accomplish, so much I want to improve upon. But, recently, I’ve finally taken a step back and realized something really important.

I may not be exactly who I want to be yet. I may not be reaching every goal yet or realizing every dream. But, I’m getting there. And, it made me think. So often, we don’t celebrate our little victories. We don’t let ourselves feel the pride of breaking old habits, letting go of toxic relationships, or taking a leap of faith. We don’t see how big these moments are because they seem so little while we are in them.

But all of those little moments have brought me so far.

I realize now that I have fought really hard to get to where I am.

I have had my heart broken more times than I can count. I have struggled with insecurity and self-doubt. I have had relationships come and go. But, I have been working on the relationship I have with myself, and that has made all the difference.

I have started to appreciate the woman I am and the struggles I have fought through. I have started to count my blessings more often instead of focusing solely on my shortcomings. I have learned to really start seeing a situation for what it is, not just what I feel it should be.

And, I have been weathered by circumstance. I have been changed drastically by the trials life has thrown at me. But, I have been weathered into a warrior. I have learned the grace of perseverance, and I can finally see now how far I have come.

Next time you’re being hard on yourself, I want you to take a moment and appreciate the person you are today. Because you are no accident.

Your strength has been conditioned day in and day out by the mess that life throws at you. Your heart has been scarred and broken and is still beating, still fighting each and every day in spite of it all. You are an inspiration for your future self and for those around you if you can truly appreciate just how much you’ve grown.

So, next time your friend comes to you feeling downtrodden and lost, help her see the things that you see in her. Help her see the brave, passionate woman that you are so proud to call a friend. Help remind her of all the things she knows to be true deep down. We all need reassurance sometimes, and you can be that for someone else.

Because we are all really hard on ourselves in a life that is already hard enough. So, let’s all take a moment today and honor the struggle that brought us here. Because life is never easy. We all have our own silent struggles. But, we are going to get through it.

So, I finally stopped today to admire the view. It’s been a rough road, and I’ve still got a long journey ahead. But, I’m here and I’m taking one step at a time. I know you are doing the same.