Living the Dream

Last month I was sitting in a hot tub, listening to my morning coffee playlist, and scrolling through the usual content I like to hit before I start my day: The Daily Skimm News email, the New York Times Morning, and then a bit of mindless scrolling on Instagram. 

As I took in the beautiful Tennessee morning, with the sounds of nature all around me, an image came up that made me smile. Pictured above, this image is from an artist with a brand called toyoufromsteph. She started her business in 2021 with a mission to uplift and inspire women everywhere. I love following her, and people like her, because when I’m surrounded by adds telling me I need to change myself and then politics that make me fear for my future, it is nice to get a reminder like this one.

Yes, there are still things in my life that are far from perfect and are downright hard. Yes, there are still things that I am striving to do and be in this world. Yes, there are still terrible injustices in this world that we need to keep fighting (#NoKings). Those things are true. But it is also true that I am living an incredible life that I once only dreamed of. It’s easy to forget that, to let the noise of everything keep you from enjoying where you’ve made it to. Wherever you are at this morning, I hope you can join me in taking a minute to recognize the parts of you that your younger self would be envious of.

Keep up the fight for everything you want to be in this world and everything you want the world to be but also give yourself permission to notice the life that holds you while you do it. The work becomes more sustainable when it’s fed by small recognitions of what’s already good; that steadiness is not complacency; it’s the fuel you need to show up again.