November: Blooming After the Battle

One year ago today, I stepped off a plane and into a new chapter of my life in Barcelona. It feels surreal to reflect on everything that’s unfolded since then... a year filled with trial and error, enormous growth, and tremendous growing pains. This journey has taught me that a beautiful life doesn’t necessarily mean an easy one.

Discomfort Is the Catalyst for Growth: The unknown is terrifying, isn’t it? We’re so wired to seek comfort, yet true growth demands the opposite of what we’ve done before. This year, I leaned into the discomfort of the unknown. Every moment of uncertainty tested me, but it also transformed me. It’s in those hard places (the ones we try to avoid) where we truly metamorphosize.

Suffer Now or Suffer Later: A lesson I learned the hard way is that life is full of trade-offs. Whether it’s making tough choices or confronting pain head-on, the discomfort you face now can prevent greater suffering down the line. Growth asks us to choose our struggles wisely because avoiding them altogether is simply not an option. Either way, it's going to be difficult, but it's up to us to choose our challenge.

Nothing Was a Waste of Time: It’s easy to look back and feel like some experiences were missteps or wasted time. But every moment, even the traumatic ones, shape who we are meant to be. The setbacks, heartbreaks, and lessons I’ve endured this past year have all played a part in making me stronger and more aligned with my path.

A Gentle Reminder for the Year Ahead: As we approach 2025, I hope this will be the year you believe in yourself wholeheartedly. You have an incredible ability to see the goodness in everyone around you, but can you pause for a moment and see that same light within yourself? You are so much more than your worst moments, so much more than the things that have happened to you. Yes, you’ve survived so much, but you are more than just a survivor; you are a complex, infinite being, carrying both the weight of nothingness and the beauty of everything all at once. May this be the year you stop doubting your worth and start seeing yourself as the radiant, capable, and resilient soul you are.

Closing Thoughts: Landing in Spain one year ago marked the beginning of a journey I never anticipated, but it was exactly what I needed. The trials and triumphs have all been part of a greater story of becoming. If you’re navigating your own season of growth, know this: it’s all shaping you. The pain, the beauty, the discomfort, it’s all leading you to a version of yourself you haven’t yet met. Trust in you, you're worth it.

XO,

Lorena