Rooted in Authenticity: Deeply and Outwardly

There's no doubt that being a twenty-something woman trying to navigate friendships, relationships, work, finances, and everything in between can leave me feeling uprooted at times. It can feel like the soil around me loosens as each responsibility tugs at a different root, pulling every which way. But just like any plant, there is one root that remains deeply anchored. The root that holds everything firmly in place and together when the wind picks up. For me, that root is authenticity.

Authenticity shapes how I show up for others, but just as importantly, how I show up for myself. It’s what grounds me when self-doubt tries to shake me loose. Preparing to become a registered nurse was only half of the journey. That journey continued as I stepped into the field and rapidly, constantly, and sometimes overwhelmingly learned. Being present in people’s most vulnerable moments, advocating when they can’t speak for themselves, witnessing their healing, and being beside them as they take their last breath are all moments that have pushed me to grow.

And honestly, there were many moments when I questioned myself.

Am I meant to be here?

Am I doing enough?

AM I ENOUGH?

These ruminating thoughts were some of those heavy winds that tried to loosen my roots. But, I stayed rooted in my true self. I stayed calm in the chaos. I remained the steady voice for my patients, the inquisitive learner, and the woman who knew that God had given her this purpose and that she was exactly where she was supposed to be. Every time I show up from this place, my roots hold me in place, firmly. 

The beautiful thing about roots is that while they grow deep, they grow outward. As my own roots reach outward, I allow myself to step into the unfamiliar with openness and the reminder that I am showing up as me. This has pushed me toward new experiences, new opportunities, new people, new knowledge, and to truly see the beauty in life that surrounds me and the ever-evolving beauty that exists within myself.