I never thought I would get this far

A cool person I spent time with for the second time, reminded me that she had seen a timeline I posted on /r/transtimelines a long while back. Amazing that she had recalled it. Yet the image of me snuck inside her memory.

Reflecting on this moment I suddenly felt a great sense of pride. The person I was in that photo from 2015 was so different than now. The changes may seem subtle to outsiders, but to me, and to those close to me, they see a totally new level of calm, comfort, playfulness, and strength. I have never in my life been this healthy.

I owe so much to reading Brene Brown's books. I'll never stop praising them huh? :p Especially, "The Gifts of Imperfections." In this book she describes what she calls as the guideposts to living wholeheartedly.

1. Authenticity: Letting Go of What People Think
2. Self-compassion: Letting Go of Perfectionism
3. Resilient spirit: Letting Go of Numbing and Powerlessness
4. Gratitude and Joy: Letting Go of Scarcity and Fear of the Dark
5. Intuition and trusting Faith: Letting Go of the Need for Certainty
6. Creativity: Letting Go of Comparison
7. Play and Rest: Letting Go of Exhaustion as a Status Symbol and Productivity as Self-Worth
8. Calm and Stillness: Letting Go of Anxiety as a Lifestyle
9. Meaningful Work: Letting Go of Self-Doubt and “Supposed To”
10. Laughter, Song, and Dance: Letting Go of Being Cool and “Always in Control”

All of these things truly matter; In a way I never could have understood before. I hope simply in reading these chapter titles, you garner a sense of what they mean and which you may need to work on.

The ones I needed to work on the most, were self-compassion, play, laughter, and trusting faith. I see I have made progress in these areas. I am so proud of myself. And all I want is to keep exploring. Keep moving.