On this day five years ago I published my first post entitled “First Post, First Step.”

I was 20 years old, finishing up my third year of university and my confidence was holding on by a thread. I was broken, hopeless and starting to feel like I had no direction in my life.

I now sit here writing to you as a 25 year old woman, working a full-time job in fundraising, owning, managing, and growing my own small business, and running around with confidence like I was birthed by Beyonce.

HOW THE HECK DID I GET HERE?!

It was a simple mixture of deep breaths, calls home, pep talks, tears, faith, therapy, prayer, self-love, friendship, vulnerability, and beginning to trust my journey.

*exhales*

Five years. A lot can happen in five years.

Where were you this time five years ago? What challenges did you overcome? What people have you met and/or removed from your life? Did you achieve any of your goals? Are you setting new goals? How did you feel about yourself then and how do you feel about yourself now? Are you where you thought you would be in five years?

I have mentioned this before, but I started my blog while I was going through a low time in my life. I felt lost, hopeless and insecure. I began writing these posts as reminders of how I was supposed to feel and how to continue on through the darkness. I wrote for myself with the small ounce of belief that I would become confident enough to share my posts with others. I would of never imagined my blog would of grown to where it is today.

Over the past five years I have not quite figured out the perfect formula for when to post and how often to post, I just write when I feel inspired.

Here I am, five years later, trying to find the time to write. I miss writing. Writing is a piece of me that I do not get to visit as often anymore. Other demands of my life have started to shift and take over.

During the last few weeks I have thought to myself that maybe it is time to use my five-year anniversary as a way to close out the blog, to write that final post. I am no longer that insecure, broken young women, so I felt as though I had nothing to continue to write about. Something about this thought process did not sit right with me. I WANT to keep writing. I don’t want to turn off my voice. This blog is my outlet and the place that I connect with others.

As I transition into this next chapter of writing I hope that you continue to find my posts relatable. I know that some of you are at a similar position in life, but I also know that some of you have 10, 20, 30 years on me. That’s the thing. Life is relatable no matter the age. We all go through experiences and grow from them.

Writing my blog has allowed me to relate with others and let others share their stories with me.

I love my blog, I can’t let it go just yet.

Happy Anniversary Liv Your Life!! Thank you for being my outlet, my inspiration, my passion, my light.

Thank you to everyone along this journey with me.

Cheers to 5 years!

-Liv ✌🏽💜