Things I've learned along the way ....

• Seeking validation is futile and painful, but evaluating feedback can lead to understanding, and growth

• Trying to fix people you have judged to be broken will bring you lots of pain – you can’t fix others, but you can learn valuable lessons from them

• Losing yourself in order to be loved or accepted by another is not an acceptable trade

• People and situations will keep showing up to teach you the lessons you haven’t yet learned

• If you don’t work hard to heal yourself, you will pass your pain on to the people you love the most

• Even if someone appreciates and values you, it won’t necessarily stop them from taking what they need from you – if you let them

• Caring deeply about others can be self-destructive if you don’t care deeply about yourself too

• Loyalty is one of the most beautiful qualities of friendship

• Great pain and loss can lead to great wisdom and strength