fresh starts

i think that fresh starts are a gift. i'm not sure that we always see them like this, but as a firm believer in karma/fate/what have you, i'm convinced that 100% of the fresh starts we're given are gifts, even if they don't seem like them at the time. 

at the most basic level, you're given a fresh start every day when you wake up. every day is a new chance to turn your life around, work on something you've been meaning to do, or read a new book--anything really. you don't have to be the same person that you were the day before, or even the day before that. not if you don't want to be. 

on a bigger level--think of milestones--each first day of school/classes, each new place that you've lived, the times you've graduated, the time you got married/had a baby--anything you'd consider a big life event? it's a fresh start. 

fresh starts don't have to be with people who don't know you. yes, they're an opportunity to reinvent who you are, but that doesn't mean you have to leave everyone you know behind in the process. Or maybe it does. it really depends on your situation. my point is that I think 90% of the time, when we hear the words "fresh start" we think of starting over in some place new where nobody knows us one single bit. and yes, those are fresh starts. but those days where you decide to step out of your comfort zone at home? the days where you do something that's a little bit not you, no matter where you are or what the outcome? those are fresh starts too. 

all you have to do is decide to wipe your slate clean and start again. the people who care about you will always be there for you, no matter what. i know this for a fact. they will be there for you, and they'll support you along the way--and if you're lucky, they might even help you in your process. 

i hope you're never scared of a fresh start. they can seem daunting at first, i know that all too well, but i've found that they're for the better. you're never being given more than you can handle. fresh starts are a gift. you are in charge of your fate in those moments. you can be whoever you want to be. you can do whatever you want to do. all you have to do is take a deep breath, make a plan, and go for it. 

you'll be glad you did. 

so here's to fresh starts--what's one that's particularly impacted you?

-em xx