I'm Glad You're Here
A reflection on how far we've come in the last four years.
I love the “Memories” feature of apps like Snapchat and Photos—year after year, I always have a hard time believing those memories are yet another year older. You’ll often find me exclaiming “WOW that was a whole SEVEN years ago?” or “we were such babies then.” Can you relate?
Perhaps my favorite aspect of reflecting on my photographed memories is seeing the friends who have been with me throughout many of the ups and downs and zig-zags my life has taken. And, while Substack doesn’t have a feature like this, it’s dawned on me how you, as readers of this project of mine, have become in some way like some of my closest friends. You’ve walked with me through highs and lows, and you’ve been witness to many of the ways my thinking has changed over the years.
So, to those of you who have been here since the beginning, or close to it: I’m here this week to say thank you. When I started this project, almost exactly four years ago, I thought it would be a little FFA project with an end date. Yet, as I saw how it impacted you and challenged me, the words just kept flowing.
If you’ve just joined recently, I’m here to say thank you to you, as well. The more I write, the more I hone the craft of articulating thoughts into stories and ideas that make sense and mean something to others, and the more of you who join me, the more the improvement compounds.
As we head into what’s next, together, I especially want to express my gratitude to those of you who provide feedback—whether it’s in the form of a like, a comment, an email reply, or a text—as those indicators are what allow me to continue to write about what’s relevant to you. If you disagree with my ideas, I want to hear about it! If something encouraged you, shoot me a note. If there’s something you want to see more of, let me know!
Thank you for making this project so much more worthwhile than if I was just rambling to myself. I’ll keep seeing you every other Tuesday morning, right here in your inbox, Lord willing and the creek don’t rise.
Journal Prompt of the Week
What made you decide to read The Next Step? What changes, if any, have you implemented in your life as a result?
I've been following you since you were a national officer. I also have a blog and love passion projects, so I try to support those who are brave enough to put themselves out there and use their time productively.