There are times in our lives where we get a do-over. I don’t mean we get to fix something (which, of course, sometimes we do). I mean a do-over in life. A time to start anew.

Everyone has changes in life, whether it’s emotional maturing, retirement, parenthood, or entering or leaving a relationship. Some of us seem to embrace these times better than others. It’s not that we’re not happy where we were. It’s just that there is a change in life that will warrant a change in our thinking and doing.

This past week I became an “empty-nester.” I don’t really love that phrase because we never stop being a parent. But we do let go. It is a time for our kids to find their own lives. To fend for themselves. To fail and to succeed. It’s a chance for a Day One for us.

Today I felt like I woke up from a wonderfully deep sleep. The years of being focused on my kids has been great and meaningful, but exhausting and didn’t always allow me to focus on me. I had one goal with my kids and that was for them to find gratitude for their lives. Not just their privilege but for being alive. For have the opportunity to help others and leave a positive footprint. To be grateful for their family and friends. When you have gratitude, all else falls into place. I’m not sure it stuck but that’s for them to deal with now, not me.

The reality is that life is not a straight line. It’s made up of many experiences—some good, some boring, and some so bad that you’ll need plenty of time to recover from the trauma of living through it. But you do live through it. You focus on healing and being grateful. And then you start again at Day One.

Life’s not one big Hallmark movie where everything’s pretty, shiny and happy all the time. Shitty things happen to good people. Life changes occur. Anxiety and depression can develop and addictions have the power to break the strongest among us. But we can always start over. Like they say, one-day-at-a-time.

Today is Day One. I wonder what will happen next? 🙂

XOXO

Jessica