Words of Encouragement: Find Joy in the Journey

I’ve been on a writing hiatus for a couple weeks. I got to a point where, even prior to this short break, I couldn’t find much inspiration to write and share, and the things I did write about weren’t.. for a lack of better words, “appropriate”. I’ve learned in my short time blogging that even though I have committed to being raw and real, not everything is meant for the public. I think it’s more important now than ever that I can differentiate the two. So as things started to occur, I stayed quiet to take everything in and process. The phrase “practice what you preach” is real, and I’m holding myself accountable to ensure I’m partaking in the things I’m inspiring you all to do. When I decided to start this blog, I included discussions around self-care because my experiences have shown me that self-care or lack thereof will tremendously impact your life and how you choose to operate. I write for others, but I also write for myself because I need to verbalize these words of encouragement and affirmation to unlock my full potential. I can't wait to delve into my career full force, and through talking out my flaws and imperfections, I'm ready to devote more of my time. That being said, forgive me for my absence! I hope I haven’t lost anyone along the way. 

When life happens, it’s common to ask question like “why” and “how”. Trust me, I enjoy a pity party from time to time. But that does nothing but increase stress. Instead, I’ve been trying this new thing where I look back on where I came from and compare it to my current status. Nine times out of ten, it shuts me right up. I admit I’m not where I’d like to be, but a lot of progression has taken place. And I mean that for all aspects of my life. Over these past couple weeks or so, life has been happening FOR me and I’ve been keen enough to recognize and understand why I am where I am and that everything happens for a reason (regardless if I agree). ​See, acceptance is the first step to growth and enjoying life.

Let’s continue with the example of my career: my plan in the next few years is to open a styling boutique here in Atlanta, amongst a few other things. In my opinion, I am NOWHERE near that goal, not even a little bit. Even saying it out loud is nauseating. But over the course of my year here, I’ve almost finalized a business plan, met some incredible people ready to help, and (tried) to put myself in a position to win when the time comes. Acknowledging the journey is worth it, as well as envisioning my end goal. Every creative break, every sprinkle of inspiration, every motivating conversation contributes to the joy I am finding on this path to success. 

​As hardworking individuals that have dreams and aspirations, being distracted by the end makes you miss the journey; and despite the bumpy roads ahead, the journey is beautiful! Take a breath and process what is happening FOR you and around you before it’s too late. That’s how you find the joy in the journey.