27

I turn 27 today. 

Chronologically, not exactly a big one. But this birthday is a big deal for me, mostly because of how hard I've worked to get here.

Turning 27 marks surviving what has easily been the the most difficult year of my life (which is possibly the understatement of the year). It also represents the slow and (at times) painful transition from surviving to thriving. Several months ago, life as I knew it came to an abrupt halt. A lot of things were broken and taken away from me and replaced with feelings of fear, hopelessness, abandonment, and pessimism. For that reason, I've had to unlearn a lot of untrue things about myself and unbelieve a lot of lies. For me, 27 is a fresh start as my best self, and is choosing to believe that the best is yet to come. I am stronger, more confident, and more self-aware than I've ever been. I know what I'm capable of and what I'm worthy of and I'm not willing to settle for less. I know who I am, and I believe that I have something beautiful to offer the world that no one else can.

27 is going to look very, very different than 26 in some of the scariest ways. However, I have never in my life felt more loved, cherished, valued, and supported than I do right now; which, all things considered, is pretty incredible.

27 is beauty from ashes.

So, 

Cheers to 27:

To starting over, 

To healing, 

To rebuilding, 

To dreaming big, 

To shooting for the moon,

And to doing the impossible.