To New Beginnings

I'm in a new place now and it's somewhere I haven't experienced before.

Since a young age, I have been afforded autonomy. I have my parents to thank for that. They knew that growth wasn't possible is I was constantly being protected. So they let me expereince the world in its rawest and most unedited version. I learned what it meant to make mistakes but also what it felt like when things were going really right for me.

That autonomy led me on journeys; some of which I have shared in my writing while others have been kept entirely offline. But beyond the sail boats and idolized moments of my life, that autonomy that they afforded me has led me to feeling comfortable being one with myself. I've moved out and now, in my very own apartment, I can share that i truly have never felt more in touch with myself then now.

Lately, my life has been full of firsts. My first month in the paramedic academy, my first trail race on the roster and my steps into a career with The Navy. Three very different pathways yet somehow have intertwined with each other in the life I call mine.

Paramedic school has been inspring. While mostly diving into the anatomy of our human body, we've also gotten to experience when it means to care for our patients, something that has always been extremely important to me. It's crazy to think that feeling for a pulse has become something that is calming to me but truly, it has and it's quite nice now that that's the case.

On the other hand, running has become like my heart rhythm. What started as training for a race has become a lifeline of sorts for me. With each step I take, I'm reminded that I have something stable in my life. When training gets stressful or the day feels too hard to push through, I get out for a run. No matter the distance, when I get back from my outing, I always feel more like the person I want to be: grounded, comfortable, and physically healthy. It's crazy what a short run can do for your mental health.

And then there is the Navy. While I haven't experienced it in all her glory yet, I have made it a part of my routine to go on base every few weeks. Whether to hit up the fitness center or to go speak to admin, seeing what will be my future career has been deeply empowering. It's inspired me to give me my all in schooling even when things feel hard or impenetrable.

Each of these worlds has been asking something different of me yet here I am, contributing to them all. Combined, they are teaching me to find the balance between control and surrender, between independence and belonging.

The next few months will be challenging. As these days just seem to keep growing shorter and the intensity of training only continues to climb, I know I’ll be tested. Mentally, physically, and emotionally, all of it will be a push. But the lessons I’ve learned so far have prepared me for this. Every struggle, every success, every step along the way has built a strong foundation that I need to face what comes next. And I’m ready. I’m ready to push harder, to grow further, and to embrace whatever this new chapter has in store.

So here's to new beginnings. Heres to success in its grandest form.