From The Archives is a series where I look back, dust off curated posts or photos from long ago and present them to you, with new purpose. I believe in remembering who we are, who we wanted to be. For me, looking back is a thoughtful way to lean into how far we’ve traveled, how the lessons still ring true, how old insights and wisdom become new again.
This is me in 2006,
age 31, before I was “an artist.” I am at my social work job, in my old
office that sure looks different from my current studio! What I
especially notice about this photo is that I am wearing the
only black shirt I ever owned and how hard I was trying to work the
“professional wear” that never felt right on me. I’m also wearing panty
hose because the hospital dress code was strict. I look older, unfamiliar to myself now. In fact, I barely recognize myself in this photo.
I can’t believe how much
has changed and how far I’ve come since. I’m WILD and free compared to
this old version of me.
Thank goodness for small steps and
transformation.
Thank goodness for doing things we never thought we could do.
Thank goodness for letting possibility guide us through the naysayers, the inner critic, the impossibility of making a move.
I was stuck in an office job, doing meaningful work, but my heart was dreaming of something else. And who knew those dreams would lead me to today.
Forever thankful. Like, forever and ever.
Looking back, how far have you come? Your story may not look like mine, but I’m certain you’ve traveled a long, meaningful distance too. Celebrate that journey!
