A Gentle Reminder Of How Far You’ve Come In 2016

By

2016 is over; 365 days have passed

In this time you have overcome great obstacles, and experienced wondrous delights. You have continued to survive. You have continued to thrive. You have grown and blossomed, and you have seen darkness and light.

You have created a year of color – a year of mystery and adventure, a year of self-discovery and change. You have been vivid and bold, and other times quiet and soft.

Whether this year was tainted with sadness, or painted with joy, you, my friend, have made it. And for this, you are a fighter. You are a warrior.

You have made it through 365 days of uncertainty; you have stumbled courageously through hours and hours of unknowns. And you have made it because you have held onto light – you have nurtured hope. Rather than falling down in the face of fear, you have bravely stepped forward. You have daringly tried again, time and time again.

Take a minute to let that sink in; to thank yourself for your incredible strength. Take a moment to appreciate yourself. You have continued to persevere through the hard times, and you have continued to step forward when your gaze ahead was clouded with uncertainty. Appreciate the way in which you have bravely stood up, again and again, even when facing adversity and anxiety.

Remember how far you have come. In these 365 days, remember how many forward strides you have made.

You are a new person, yet the same. 

As you move forward into the new year, remember that for every hardship you have faced, you have also been blessed with grace. 

You have made mistakes, you have learned. You have fallen down, you have risen back up again. You have experienced heart break, you have loved. You have spent days in bed, you have spent nights out on the town. You have found your weak spots and flaws, you have discovered that these are your virtues. You have cried tears of sorrow, you have cried tears of joy. You have said goodbye, you have said hello.

You have been breathless.

You have seen miracles.

You have lived.