1. Truth: Right now it’s hard to talk about what’s true. People ask me how I’m doing, and it’s just easier to say “good” or “fine.” I’m trying to figure it out, trying to navigate rough terrain, and it doesn’t feel like something I want to make public — if I ever do. In fact, if I haven’t already talked to you about it, please don’t ask.

2. Truth: Trying to find the root of my suffering has been difficult. There are so many things layered on top of the point of origin that need to be dug up and untangled. Each new discovery has the potential to confuse and distract me from the real source.

3. Truth: Sometimes telling the truth is hard because you know someone else is going to immediately try to deny it or downplay it. There are so many ways this is manifesting in my life — personal, professional, and public. I spend a lot of time lately weighing the value of speaking out against the harm of staying silent.

One wish: That we keep digging, keep trying, don’t give up, and know that we have the right to say “this is mine.”

1. Truth: Knowing what you want is just the first step. You can be so clear about what your destination is, about it being right for you, but that alone doesn’t get you there. It’s simply a good place to start, a beginning.

2. Truth: Even if you know where you intend to land, there are many tiny steps on the path to getting there. I know there’s a lot of encouragement to lean in, play big, take the leap, with the promise that you’ll magically land where you want, but I don’t think it happens just like that for most people. In fact, I’ve found that many who try to sell their story like it was that easy simply skip the middle, leave out the messy bits.

3. Truth: Patience is essential. Especially when you can see exactly where you want to go, it can be frustrating to wait, to do the small work of getting there, and yet it’s the only way to travel, the only way to get from here to there. And just know that even when it seems like you aren’t getting anywhere, more than likely something is shifting.

One wish: May we relax into the time and effort it takes, resting when we need to, taking it as slow as we need to go, working out one thing at a time, one step and then another, patient with the process and gentle with ourselves, trusting in our own knowing.