@Karen Gill I really like that perspective, especially what you said about being conditioned to please others before ourselves. I think that can make “choosing yourself” feel almost selfish when it’s actually necessary for growth. It makes me curious about your own perspective, what does choosing yourself look like for you personally, and how do you know when it’s time to take that leap?

@Karen Gill Thank you for sharing that so openly. I can really understand why your journey shaped the way you see growth and “choosing yourself.” The part about being the black sheep really stood out to me, especially because you weren’t trying to rebel just for the sake of it. You were curious about life and wanted the people you loved to experience more of it too. I also really appreciate your flower analogy. I think there’s a difference between taking a leap and forcing a transformation. Sometimes the leap is simply deciding to stop resisting the next step, while still allowing ourselves the time to grow into it. For me, choosing myself means being honest about what feels aligned with who I’m becoming, rather than automatically choosing what keeps everyone else comfortable. It means protecting my peace, being intentional about where I put my energy, and not feeling guilty for wanting more from life. And when I think about “taking a leap,” I don’t necessarily see it as jumping without knowing where I’ll land. I see it more as being willing to leave what is familiar when I know staying there is no longer helping me grow. I can take the step while still respecting the process and giving myself room to learn along the way. Your point about having to cycle back to what we missed really made me think. I wonder if sometimes the things we think are delays are actually part of building the foundation we needed all along. Do you feel that your journey has made you more patient with your own growth, or more patient with the growth of the people you help?