Stop and Smell...the Unexpected Joys

Hello!

The beginning of this year was met with an unexpectedly rocky start, complete with a symbolic 14-inch haircut that was a bit more dramatic than intended. I’ve experienced so many life-altering moments and milestones this year, most of which I wasn’t prepared for. Adulting is what I expected it to be but it’s also not what I expected at all – it feels strange to be out of my SLU bubble and see my friends and I living new lives that don’t overlap with each other.

At the same time, it’s exciting to escape familiarity and seek new experiences, some of which I couldn’t have imagined for myself a year ago. When looking at my life right now, I see how my goals became my reality. There was a time when what I have now felt unattainable, and I’m grateful that things I desperately prayed for are falling into place.

As a society, we’re trained to focus on the next goal and look for “more,” but it’s important to appreciate how far we’ve come. I want to continue pursuing opportunities that will help me grow, but not before acknowledging the challenges I’ve faced this year and applauding myself for prioritizing my dreams (excited to see what goals are next!).

I’m sure each of you has endured hardships in silence, ones that tested your strength and filled you with pain that only you understood. With the hopes that you grew more resilient and learned something valuable from those difficulties, I want to remind you that you are worthy of your dreams and accomplishments.

You are the only person who truly knows how much effort you invested, how much self-doubt you overcame, and how much you sacrificed to achieve your goals – and that is worth more than you can imagine.

My beautiful moments from this year still feel surreal, and they’re more than I could have asked for. Both my commitment to putting myself first and the culmination of my efforts have taught me new lessons about my capabilities, and I’m beyond proud of myself for not giving up.  

With love,
Haya Ahmed