I met my 22 year old self for coffee today
A reflection on what I've learned in the few years since I was in her shoes
She arrived at our table ready to dive into all we were accomplishing and what we strived to achieve.
I arrived eager to listen to who she was becoming; what was shaping her heart and mind; what she cared deeply about; the things that lit up her soul.
She was worried about being behind, about needing to catch up to the “perfect” timeline she had crafted in her mind for how her 20s would (or should) go.
I listened closely, paused, and told her that everything would be so much different than she could imagine in just a few years from now.
I told her that there would be unexpected twists and turns and love and loss— and yet, a more beautiful story than she could ever imagine was going to unfold, one that could never be planned nor predicted.
“But what if I mess it up? What if I make the wrong choice and everything goes awry?” she asked.
I gently grasped her hand, tears filling both my eyes & hers.
“There is nothing you can do to mess up the plan & purpose for your life. Your mistakes, your missteps, the unexpected loss— it’s all part of the story. These experiences will shape you, refine you, and build the strength within you to one day live out your true purpose, regardless of what the world says you should be doing.”
I came home that afternoon, sat on my couch overlooking the beautiful San Francisco sky, and smiled, abundantly grateful for how much she’d learned and the ways she’d grown over the past few years— grateful for how she’d come to find herself.
Beautiful Elle x