How many do-overs do you think we get in this lifetime? How many new beginnings? How many fresh starts?
How many times can we start over before we run out of chances? How many chances do we get with ourselves?
I want to know because I’ve used more chances in the past year alone than all the years before combined.
I felt like I needed to start over every minute of every hour of every day, for over a year. With 365 days in a year, I’m definitely somewhere in the six-figures for new beginnings.
Over a year ago, things that I could have never imagined became my reality. Those unexpected events robbed me of my absolute truths of the world, and for someone who needed complete control, this trauma robbed me of any sense of stability and safety. I hit rock bottom and felt myself sinking into the floor that was supposed to be the lowest you could ever go.
It took me months to admit out loud that I was not okay—that I was not faring as well with all the negative events in my life as those around me believed I was.
I was broken and needed help. When I was finally able to vocalize what I wanted and desperately needed from others, I gave myself a new beginning. And continued to have many more after that.
There is a Japanese art form called Kintsugi that involves repairing broken pottery with gold, silver or platinum. It highlights scars with precious metals, turning a once broken object into a priceless artifact, conveying that we can be strong, beautiful and broken all at the same time. We are all Kintsugi.
Instead of focusing on the number of times you started over, focus on what the action signifies. It declares to the world and to ourselves that we refuse to give up.
We choose courage over cowardice.
We choose ourselves rather than admit defeat.
We choose to try again rather than to not try at all.
So, give yourself as many do-overs, new beginnings, and fresh starts as you need.
The limit does not exist.
Because you will get there. And when you do, the number won’t matter.
What matters is that you are trying every day. Fiercely and unapologetically, for yourself.
Crafting a more beautiful, priceless, resilient you.
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