On Aug. 28, 2016, I wrote my first article in the Messenger-Inquirer for the Chamber. Now, almost four years to the day later, I’m writing my last.
As I reflect back on my incredible time with my Chamber family, the words I wrote years ago echo still today.
Back then, I wrote about being afraid of change, but trusting yourself enough to make the move that scares you the most. Deciding not to limit ourselves, remembering we can grow and reminding ourselves how capable we truly are should lead our path. I’m proud to say I’m closer to being there now than I was then. I have gained years of experience and an incredible amount of knowledge that I didn’t have when I started at the Chamber, and yet, I still find myself in a place of anxiety of the future.
Wanna know a secret? I’m okay with that little feeling of fear. Because that’s all that it is — a tiny little insignificant feeling, not a fact. The fact is that I believe in myself to figure out what I don’t know as I go — that I know I will work as hard as I can and give everything I have in this next chapter.
I’m so grateful that I have incredible people in my life who not only support me but remind me of my abilities when I forget. It’s okay to forget sometimes, and it’s okay to have a little fear. But don’t forget to remember your abilities and don’t let fear stick around.
The last four years have gone by way too quickly, but I will treasure those years for the rest of my life. I don’t know what the next four will hold, but I do know that I won’t be led by fear, but by faith … faith in myself and faith in the knowledge that the unknown isn’t always a bad thing, but an opportunity to grow, and to once again find out what I’m capable of.