Today is Your Day

When I was in my 1st year of university I decided that I wanted to learn to sew. This was way before Google could answer your every question and YouTube was the expert on everything! I had to do it the old fashioned way and learn from trial and error. I started making totes because what 19 yr old doesn’t want to learn to make their own handbag (I know it’s hard to believe but I was completely serious, guys!). Before long I graduated to sewing my own clothes. At that time in my life, the sky was the limit. I seriously believed I could do anything I put my mind to. There wasn’t a teacher, mentor or social media influencer whose example I was trying to emulate. I was simply following my own path. It helped that I had the support of a loving family and that I was able to see myself through their eyes: independent, smart and capable. Fast forward to now and I’m certainly not as enthusiastic and confident in my abilities; the world no longer feels like my oyster. Age has brought with it handicaps and limitations that are self imposed. Doubt, insecurity and fear of failure are more comfortable companions than they once were.

That’s why it’s good to have moments of self-reflection, to remember how far we have come from where we started from. We need to celebrate our past victories so that they can fuel our future goals and ambitions. It’s easy to get stuck in the cycle of our everyday routine and forget the personal growth we’ve experienced in the past. My crowning achievement when it came to sewing? I made my own wedding dress (and my 3 bridesmaid dresses too!). At the time it didn’t seem like a big deal (remember the sky was the limit!) but today I recognize it for the stepping stone that it was. It allowed me to see myself and all of my potential. Ultimately, it inspired me to chase my future dreams. I’ve always been a firm believer in the idea that you can do anything you put your mind to and learn anything you’re taught. The “I’m not good enough, smart enough and nobody likes me” ideology has no place here! We need to internalize a growth mindset (“I can do hard things” rather than “This is too hard”) and allow ourselves to spread our own wings and fly.

Dr. Seuss reminds us, “Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way!” As we hear so often in popular culture, we need to get out of our own way and stop limiting ourselves from reaching our potential. Is there anything you’ve always wanted to do, somewhere you’ve always wanted to go or something you’ve always wanted to learn? We’d love to hear about it in the comments and encourage you to chase your dreams.