I was given the most meaningful compliment I’ve ever been given this week (June 15, 2018)

someone told me that my courage + my confidence gave them the same thing, without them even knowing they needed it.

✨

that’s pretty powerful stuff…it brought tears to my eyes + took my breath away. and I think it was so powerful to me because I didn’t even know I had that kind of confidence.

you see, I’ve always been a shy little introverted girl. I’ve spent most of my life saying no to opportunities because of fear of not being good enough. an innate worry that I didn’t ever have what it takes. I wouldn’t dare go anywhere alone, because what if another human spoke to me? what would I say?

the last five years of my life has done wonders to help that shy little kid inside realize that she isn’t so bad after all. I’ve read countless books on self-help + personal healing, a category that has the ability to make people scoff + giggle a bit, but also held the ability to literally change my life. therapy on paper, if you will.

I’ve kept my circle of friends to people that light me up inside. women + men that have the same philosophies as I do: you get in this life what you put out. you are who you surround yourself with. always take risks, life would be so boring if you always play it safe.

the last five years of my life have had some crazy powerful changes. quitting a thirteen year ‘safe + secure’ career to pursue a passion that lights my soul on fire. figuring out what real love is (and isn’t). buying + selling a home. experiencing pain + heartbreak + watching my friends + family go through tough shit, too. all of these experiences have brought me to where I am today, valuing my time here on earth like never before + valuing my relationships with other people just as much.

if I had to pull one life lesson I’ve learned in this last half decade to share with the you all today, it would be this:

do your thing. stop giving a flying fuck what anyone else thinks of your decisions + life choices (with obvious exception to stupid or dangerous things). you get one chance to do it big here on earth, so why coward down because someone else THINKS it’s weird? how dumb. be unapologetically you, all of the time. wear your freak badge proudly, because you literally never know the impact you may be having on other people.

I’m not perfect + I still make mistakes (a lot of them) but I’m such a different person than I was back then. I look forward to risky opportunities + chances to fail now, because they give me the chance to learn + grow, and honestly, failing really just means that I’m trying. you cannot fail (or succeed) without trying, right?

I cannot wait to look back on this silly little life lesson (that I’m posting from the Denver airport bar as I sit alone, confidently, for two hours. who the eff is this version of Andi!?) in five more years + see how much more I’ve learned. you better believe that I’m gonna gather the courage to share it with you then, like I am now.