Oh Hi, I'm New Here.

I was talking to a best friend today, Heather. She’s a soulful one, she's one who drops truth bombs casually, like it’s no big deal and then carries on about her new puppy. But somehow her words often land as a guiding light for the next season of my life.

I was admitting something sheepishly, fumbling through my own doubt, and she just said something like, “Look, we’ve all only done this once, Meadow.”

And it stopped me.

Because she’s right.

This is my first time being this age, in this situation, in this body, in this chapter, with this level of awareness. I don’t have to cling to the dreams I had yesterday or be defined by choices I made years ago. I’m allowed to grow. I’m allowed to update. I’m allowed to become. I'm allowed to make mistakes. I'm allowed to pivot.

Saying “this is my first time” makes life feel like an adventure instead of a test I should already know the answers to.

None of us have lived before. Not like this. Not with this culture, this economy, this technology, these expectations, these dreams, these failures, these fears.

Every day, every chapter, every version of ourselves is brand new. We are perpetual beginners.

And I think I fell in love with Heather’s comment because it erased this illusion that everyone else has it figured out and that somehow, I don't. It alleviates the shame around failures or seemingly missed opportunities. It removes shame and doubt and replaces it with curiosity, compassion, and grace to evolve.

So today, whether you’re 14, 78 or 43 and 232 days old, be patient with yourself.

Give yourself credit.

You’re becoming someone you’ve never been before. And you are doing it for the very first time. 

You're new here, be kind to yourself :)