As I continue my end-of-year reflection, I want to share a story that has been a significant part of my journey this year. This is a story I’ve written intentionally, not only to share but also to keep as a personal reminder. It’s a story about discovering self-worth, my journey from self-criticism to self-love.
Three journals from three years ago sat on my desk, their presence raising a question: should I keep them or let them go? A while back, I had discarded one journal because it held nothing of value—no lessons, no insights—only memories I wanted to leave in the past. Using the same reasoning, I wondered if I should do the same with the remaining three.
One by one I opened my journal and randomly read some pages. I reckoned that something about my writing had changed. I could see I’d begun to analyze things differently, with more depth. So, I thought those journals felt worth holding onto, at least for now, as a way to trace my growth. But as I revisited them, I noticed they were also filled with stories I preferred not to revisit—moments and feelings best left behind.
