Being Alive

I know I've been a bit dormant in my blog writing lately, but I've been a little busy. It is my last semester of school and I just can't even express to you all the crazy wonderfulness that is happening in my life.

BUT - it is time for my Independence Day post, if you are confused about what I mean then I suggest you check out these past posts if you have time:
Past and Present
It's Time to Begin
Honestly, I want to see you be Brave

I often say that I should rename this blog "Young, Alive, and Free." And I think that's what Independence Day celebrates. It's the celebration of being these three things and how I improve each year. Last year, I felt like I had made so much progress, but I am amazed by how much more I've grown.

I had a lot of growing opportunities this year.

I learned this year that I have strength beyond my own comprehension.

I have had to learned to look at myself and recognize the problems, but not let them paralyze me. This has allowed me to work on them.

I've had to learn how to pick myself up after falling flat on my face.

 I have learned to trust. I have learned it repeatedly. I have learned about hope.

I have learned that the support I have from my friends and family should not be taken for granted. 

I have learned that true happiness is being happy even when I'm sad.

I know who I am, where I'm going, and what I stand for. I know my purpose. I know that God has a plan for me. And I trust so fully in that plan. In these things. I feel happiness.

I am young, alive, and free.

I say all of these things knowing that I have not perfected anything. I have so much more growing to do so I can have something to celebrate next year. And that's exciting to me. I selfishly hope that I can inspire more people to have their own Independence Day. A day when they realize their own beauty, their own power. A day to recognize who you are, where you're going, and what you stand for - whatever that may be.

The lockscreen of my phone is a picture that says "YOU ARE ENOUGH." And I think that so often we focus on where we are lacking, that we forget that we have already done so much. And because of how much we've grown, we are capable of becoming so much more. And what we have within us is enough to become that. We just have to keep progressing.

So, Independence Day has come. And more than ever before. I feel young. I am alive. And I am incredibly free.