Step 2: Open your eyes. Or choose to read this post with your eyes closed--that's fine too.
Step 3: Imagine yourself on top of a mountain with the wind blowing through your hair and your arms open wide (give yourself some dramatic music too...like that scene in Pride and Prejudice with Elizabeth on the cliff). You stretch your fingers as far as they go, take a deep breath and see for miles. You see deserts, forests and fields of daises. You inhale that clean, crisp air you can only find on mountains. You did it. You finally made it to the top. After all the struggle and heartache of the way up, you are here! You let out a squeal of joy and show the sun one big, toothy smile.
You look down to see me, a tiny, little speck at the base of the mountain about to break down because my measly flint and steel refuses to produce one teensy spark for my fire. Come on! Just ONE spark! One! My estrogen levels escalate. The water works are about to break loose. Someone hand me kleenex and some chocolate--fast!
Here in reality, I sometimes am that emotional mess at the base of the mountain. Sometimes I do need kleenex, chocolate, and to just fall on my knees and pray. But that's okay. As long as I am one step ahead of where I was yesterday, the peak of the mountain is only getting closer. So hey, future self, and my family and friends who will read these notes, let's end with some of Miley's wisdom. You can't get away without a little cheesiness.
"Ain't about how fast I get there. Ain't about what's waiting on the other side."
"It's the climb".