Yesterday, while driving around my hometown and crying to a sad song, I asked myself how I might choose to be thankful too.

Not in a way that bypasses or covers over the pain, but right up next to it.

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

And when those "not good enoughs" in my head overshadowed my actual in-the-moment experience, it kept me from getting to know this wonderful group of people around me.

[Even though I LOVE connecting with people in person and had really been looking forward to it!]

I had to intentionally keep practicing the process of pausing and coming back to myself.

It was a perfect day full of joy, connection, movement, and above all... AWE.

Part of me couldn't believe I was really there that day.

Part of me STILL doesn't.

When I'm back in my hometown, I often think about what I thought my life would be like at 41 and what it actually is.

Have you been nurturing yourself as much as you nurture those around you? Have you been listening to the whispers of your heart or drowning them out in the noise of obligations?

Thanks to the other participants and our amazing steering committee, in each of these moments, even though I didn’t feel ready yet, I did feel safe enough to try it.