I won't lie, writing this article scared the sh** out of me! I sometimes cover up my past with all of my strength because lets be honest, there are just some chapters we would rather not read aloud.

I partied, I made terrible decisions, I lied, I cried, I laughed, I sinned, and I have regrets. But lately, I have been so thankful for my past. Every single part of it. If I hide from it and run from it, it is not going to stop it from being what it is.

I lost a lot of friends, relationships, and could have beens because I was genuinely not a good person. I would like to say that everyone goes through this phase but I don't think so. I think some people do and most people know what I am talking about, but not everyone does. Although I found myself in this place for awhile, I am so thankful I found my way out of it as well.

Surrounding myself with toxic people and situations made it really easy to fall down the rabbit hole for quite some time. This did not just include the night life I was choosing for myself, it included the daily decisions I was making and lack of care I had for my mind and body. Self destructive behavior and unhealthy choices ended up leading me right here. If all of that set me up to be right here, where I am, I am thankful. I am stronger, smarter, and care deeper about the little things in my life because I am happy. I have time to take care of myself, I have time to work hard at my job even if it is not my dream job, and I have the mindset to achieve bigger and better things than I originally knew I wanted.

It is okay to be thankful for your past. As messy and scary as it was, it is okay to embrace and learn from it. It is also okay and important to be thankful for those that stuck by you through your past or those that have made you want a better future for yourself.