"The little things? The little moments? They aren't little."
— Jon Kabat-Zinn, Wherever You Go, There You Are
- Flourishing isn't a destination I'm building toward. It's just how I'm choosing to move through things right now.
- I'm a different person than I was a year ago. That's not a problem — that's actually kind of the whole thing.
- When things fall apart, I let them fall apart. Then I figure out the next move. That's genuinely the whole process.
- I'll slow down before I react. And when I don't — which will happen — I'll come back to it.
- My emotions aren't noise I need to get past. They're information. I'll start treating them like that.
- My brain works in bursts and interests and connections that suddenly make sense. That's not a flaw. That's actually how I work.
- I don't function well in isolation. Nobody really does. I'll stop treating needing people like something to apologize for.
- I'll put my energy into places where things are genuine. And I'll try to actually be that for other people too.
- The patience I give the people I care about — I actually have to give that to myself. That's not a bonus.
- I don't have myself fully figured out yet, and I'm realizing that's fine. I'll stay curious about it instead of stressed.
- I'll act with intention even when the full picture isn't clear. Honestly, especially then.
- I'll keep paying attention to the things that genuinely move me. Music that hits different, a good meal, something that just works.
- I'll show up even when I'm not sure it'll land. That's what courage actually is. It's not certainty, just showing up anyway.
- I'll show up for my people the way they show up for me. Not just when it's convenient.
- Every day I'm already somewhere in the middle. That still counts as a starting point — and I think I'm okay with that 😊
Before your day or a hard task:
- Take three slow, full breaths.
- Ask: What is one thing actually going well right now?
- Let the answer land. Don't rush past it.
- Return to your day from there.
This semester, I expanded my social circle and met a lot of new people. It's taken a lot of work and getting to know all of them, but I'm proud of every single one and cherish our time spent (when I'm trying not to be anti-social).
"I am able to recognize what I'm feeling before it affects how I act."
"I have a sense of direction in my life, even when things feel uncertain."
"I can find a way to keep moving forward after something doesn't go the way I expected."
"I feel genuinely connected to at least one person or community in my life."
"I treat myself with the same understanding I would offer a close friend going through something hard."