A journal I keep
returning to.

Honesty matters to me, but so does kindness. I want to say what is true without forgetting there is another human receiving it. My words should create understanding, not unnecessary hurt.

I’m learning that someone else’s behaviour is often much more about what is happening inside them than it is about me. I can care, stay curious and listen without carrying everything as my own.

I don’t want to fill in the gaps with stories I’ve created in my own head. I’d rather ask. Listen. Stay open. People are usually much more interesting when I let them show me who they are.

I’m not interested in becoming a perfect version of myself. I want to show up as the whole version — confident sometimes, uncertain sometimes, strong, sensitive, messy, curious and still learning.

I’m learning to pay attention to the things that make me feel something. A person. A place. An idea. Music. Movement. A conversation. Curiosity doesn’t always need an explanation. Sometimes I want to follow it and see where it leads.

My mind loves the past and the future. What happened? What does this mean? What happens next? I’m practising coming back to what is actually here. This conversation. This place. This breath. This moment.

Not every feeling needs solving. I’m learning to let happiness feel good, sadness hurt, uncertainty be uncertain and connection move me. Feelings change. I don’t have to rush them out of the room.

I don’t think openness means saying yes to everything. I want to remain open to people, experiences and possibilities while being clear about what feels right for me. My boundaries aren’t there to keep people out. They help me stay myself when I let people in.

I can plan almost anything. And I love a plan. But some of the most meaningful people, places and experiences in my life weren’t on one. I want to leave enough space for things I couldn’t have predicted.

I don’t need my life to look the way it is supposed to look. I want adventure, connection, movement, creativity, freedom, purpose and room to change my mind. I’m still discovering what that looks like — and I think that’s part of the point.