I am from US; Kentucky and I am 28 years old. I Love writing and coffee. Interested in music and art.

Mastery doesn’t come from absorbing endless information. It comes from doing the darn thing, over and over again. Action is the ultimate teacher. Stop waiting to be ready. Just do it. Make mistakes, learn from them, and keep going. That’s how you become a master. So, less thinking, more doing. That’s where the magic happens.

If you could meet with your 18-year-old self one thing and tell/teach them one thing, what would it be? What advice, lesson, or truth would you share to help them navigate the journey ahead?

If you woke up tomorrow and suddenly had ZERO fear, hesitation, or self-doubt, what’s the first thing you’d do differently in your life?

We hear it everywhere these days: “Just love yourself.” It’s become a mantra, a feel-good slogan that promises to fix everything from self-doubt to depression. But what if I told you that this relentless pursuit of self-love is actually holding you back? The problem with the way we’re taught to “love ourselves” is that it often turns into another reason to reject the parts of us we find difficult to accept. We think, “If I could just love myself more, I wouldn’t feel so anxious, so insecure, so… broken.” And so we plaster on positivity, force smiles, and try to smooth over the rough edges, thinking we’re doing the work. But what we’re really doing is avoiding our shadows - those messy, raw, uncomfortable parts that don’t fit neatly into the narrative of self-love. True growth doesn’t come from pretending to love every part of ourselves. It comes from turning toward the darkness, those unlovable bits we’re so eager to hide away. It’s about staring our fears, insecurities, and past mistakes in the face and saying, “I see you. I’m not going to run away.” Real self-love includes the hard stuff. It’s messy and painful. It means acknowledging the parts of yourself that you’d rather not look at - the jealousy, the anger, the moments you’ve let yourself and others down. It’s accepting that you’re a complex, imperfect being, and that those imperfections don’t make you less worthy. They make you human. When you stop trying so hard to love yourself and start accepting yourself - including all the parts you’d rather reject - that’s when real love has a chance to grow. It’s not about turning darkness into light; it’s about holding them both at once, with no need to change what is. So, if you’ve been struggling to “love yourself,” try a different approach. Sit with your shadows. Invite them in. Listen to what they have to say. They aren’t here to destroy you. They’re here to teach you, to show you where you’re still holding back, where you’re still trying to be something you’re not.