Here's the thing - life is not a sprint, it is truly a marathon.

Guess what? Everyone doesn’t peak at twenty-five.

Hell most of us don’t. I certainly didn’t. I’m still working on me every single day. I work on trying to be a better person DAILY because I mess up daily. I can get in my feelings and put too much pressure on myself sometimes. No one is perfect and no one is supposed to be. We often measure our success based on accomplishments or on perfection. Honestly, I think it's more about progress. Those intricate and small victories that we often overlook. Taking the time to breathe and practice presence and gratitude helps us notice progress and not focus so much on the end goal.

Folks really get caught up in negatives.

If you let go of the guilt, the shame and the pressure of what you should have done better or what decisions you should have made then the focus could be on what's happening right now. Those things are in your past and there is nothing you can do about it. Can’t change it. Why would you want to? Those things had to happen to get you ready for all the things coming to you. Don’t miss the good stuff by having regrets. Forgive yourself. Mistakes are part of who we are. They are human nature. This is how we learn. Don’t worry about anyone’s expectations. Not your parents', your siblings', friends'; no one’s. Do what feels right inside. You don’t like where you are? Take steps to change it but realize that it takes time. Lots of starts and stops…changing directions. The road isn’t straight. It’s winding and there are cliffs and peaks and valleys. Even when you plan. Set your goals and work to each one step-by-step and don’t beat yourself if Plan A falls apart and Plan B sucks…there’s always Plans D-Z. Give yourself time to heal. If you can’t change a particular situation, change how you deal with it or feel about it. Take time to celebrate even the smallest of accomplishments towards your goal. You have to have some balance or the stress will consume you. Every single day you wake up; that is your chance to write your own story. To define YOU. Never let societal barriers or what others are doing affect you. Don't even think about any of that. That stuff has nothing to do with you. Live at your own pace and follow the level of accomplishments that you set for yourself. You are stronger than you realize. Just embrace it.