Dear Self,

Here, we meet again. Here we meet where you are in such a different place mentally,physically, & spiritually than you were even a year ago. 2024 was the year where your ability to be a writer and photographer was tested the most! You overcame so much self doubt that you are mor confident going into the next chapter of your life. You faced changes that were good and changes that were not as good, but you came out on the other side.Thank goodness for those changes! You have learned that instead of looking at the world as a series of mistakes you have made, you were reminded by your “chosen sister” that you are just having lessons! Her love and support have made you into a better person simply because she sees what at times you do not see, yet. I stress the word “yet.” The weight that lifted off your shoulders of carrying the weight of what you were programmed to see as mistakes with the penalty of punishments is no longer apart of your mindset. You have detoxed that mentality out of your system and You have actively changed your mindset. The woman you were eight years ago was insecure, sad, & desperate to get out of a toxic marriage that did not align with your future. You were scared to leave. You were even more terrified to shake up the life you knew. The abusive dynamics you had become accustomed to believe you deserved to survive are now just whispers of your former life! You are no longer the woman who thinks you deserve to be punished and this is just how it is for you. Now, when you look back at how scared you were back then another challenge to embrace who you are growing into comes to a head, again. You have another life choice to make and the previous one of ending an abusive-toxic marriage gave you the skills you need in order to make this decision. This challenge seems a little less scary. You have learned what you will not tolerate for your life. You have learned to embrace what you do in fact want for you. Now, you are more confident in yourself that you have the skills to pick yourself up and start a new business endeavor to move forward with and the best part is that you are not fearful. You are elated! Life is a series of lessons learned or lessons revisited. Kid, this time not only do you know what to do. You know how you’re going to do this and move along while moving forward to your most successful chapter yet! Only you can hold yourself back and why would you ever want to be held back ever again? This is another choice in order to move forward on your own terms and the lessons you have learned are what will make your life moving forward even better than you can ever imagine! After all, life is a series of lessons not mistakes! Now, go get ‘em!

With Love,
Sarah

Dedicated to my chosen sister, Karen