Right now I am asking you to take a breath. Just one, simple, deep breath. Breathe in, then out. Okay. Here we go.

Picture who you were. Four years ago maybe. How different you looked. How you felt. Where you were in your life. What has changed? What has stayed the same? Were you happy?

Now look at your life two years ago. Where were you? How did you feel? What were you going through? What defined you?

Breathe.

Now look at your life one year ago from today. How were you different then? Where were you? Who was close to you?

Okay. Now look at who you are now. You know of all the heartache in your life up to this point. Today you are the most updated version of yourself.

So here is to moving forward. Here is to loving who you are becoming.

Love that you are different from the ‘you’ four years ago. With every miserable day, every fight, and every tear, you are that much stronger and braver.

Love that you are becoming more sure of yourself. Perhaps you didn’t understand how to handle something in the past. You are now learning, growing, and expanding your world.

Love that you are learning how to be happy. You recognize that you can’t always be happy for the sake of being happy. Instead, you are figuring out how to discover and rediscover your own happiness.

Love that you are learning to not always please people. Not everyone will be happy. And that’s okay. At the end of the day not everyone will love you. Yet, you are learning to ALWAYS love yourself.

Love that you were in love. Or are in love. Or are falling in love. Or not in love at all. Whatever it may be, love that you are becoming more sure of your love.

Love that you are more solid of a person. You have always been whole, but each day your foundation is improving. Your entire world is continuing to expand. Love that you are letting yourself embrace this journey.

Love that you are becoming more sure of your emotions. Whether you choose to show them or not, your emotions are becoming more evolved. You are learning how to control them, how to express them, and how to understand them.

Love that you made mistakes. Cherish everything you now know. Remind yourself that your mistakes have directed you to this point. Love that you are becoming someone who is wiser and more self-assured.

Love that you are becoming braver. You are becoming brave as an individual, in your relationships, in your career, and in your day-to-day. Step out into the world fully knowing that you are valued, wonderful, and strong.

Love that you are becoming ‘you’. Whatever ‘you’ that may be, love who you are becoming.