Dear you,
I know you are standing at the start of something. Maybe a job, a business, a new city, or just a new version of yourself. I know it feels exciting and terrifying at the same time. This is my honest advice for young women who are just starting out, the things I wish someone had told me.
You do not need to have it all figured out. Nobody does. The people who look certain are often just better at hiding their questions.
Your first attempt is allowed to be messy. The first draft, the first pitch, the first month. It will not be perfect, and it is not supposed to be. Done and improving is better than perfect and waiting.
Say yes to learning, and no to things that drain you. Not every opportunity is your opportunity. Some doors are meant for someone else, and that is okay.
Your softness is not a weakness. You can be kind and still be clear. You can be gentle and still hold your ground. The world will try to tell you that you must harden to be taken seriously. You don’t.
Keep a record of your small wins. On the hard days, you will need proof that you have come far. Write it down. The first compliment from a client. The first time you spoke up in a meeting. The first time you paid a bill entirely on your own.
Protect your rest like you protect your goals. Burnout does not make you more committed. It only makes you more tired.
Find your people. The ones who celebrate you when you are not in the room. Keep them close.
And please, be patient with yourself. You are not late. You are not behind. You are exactly where your story is supposed to begin.
One day, you will look back at this exact moment, the uncertain one you are in right now, and you will be proud of the girl who started anyway.
I already am.
With love,
Aastha
Read More: The Delay Between Clarity and Courage : 5 Things I have Noticed So Far! Read More: The Ghosts of Who We Used to Be : How It Feels To Run Something You Never Thought About
Featured image: Photo by Cathryn Lavery on Unsplash