Dear 2014 Kaylah,
You’re moving to Cleveland today!
I’m proud of you for doing something so incredibly out of your comfort zone. You can count the number of times you’ve been in the city on your hands so even now, I’m surprised you decided thats where you wanted to move. I guess you just knew. These next five years will be a wild ride! Giving up all you worked so hard for at a young age sucks (yes, definitely referring the house!) but its 100% worth it. You already know that though…
In your first year in the city, you lean hard into your new friends. They teach you so much about life and about yourself. Some of these friendships regrettably don’t last but you’ll think about those people and how grateful for them you are often. You’ll also meet a man that you end up marrying. HELL YEAH GIRL! He’s really cute and your family LOVES him! He’s going to oversleep and miss your first date, make sure to razz him about it until the end of time.
Three years into your new life you’ll make the cover of Cleveland Magazine. Nope, I’m not lying. THE COVER. You’ll get that news on a day that you really push yourself out of your comfort zone so those two things will always be linked together and ultra special. You also ate some really great pizza that day. Stop talking about it and get back there already, ya dingus.
Things change so much that in five years time, you won’t even remember what life used to be like. The only reason you even remember some of the anxieties you used to have is because you write about them, some publicly and some privately for yourself. Journaling will be so good for you. It’ll help you heal, grow, and best of all, recognize your growth. Know how you’re afraid to bike around the block? Soon you’ll be crushing city streets on two wheels! It’s the best feeling in the world.
Moving to the city opens you up to so many new opportunities. Take them all! Say yes to bike rides, dinner with people you just met (their names are Stefany and Wade and they’re really fun!), and any opportunity to travel! I know right now you’ve only been on like one real road trip but they actually become a pretty regular thing for you. Push your friends to go on more of them with you.
Over the next five years, you’ll fall in love many times. With a bicycle, with food, with the city, with Lake Erie, with a man that knows exactly how to take care of you and most importantly, with yourself! That sounds cheesy but it’s true.
Just wanted to let you know life in 2019 is amazing. Things won’t always be easy but you’ll always be reminded that you did the right thing moving to the city. Keep your chin up & always always always say yes to new adventures!
xoxo
8 comments
LOVE that letter, and it’s so great to see how good you are now (and wow, I didn’t realise I’ve been reading your blog for that long now, I started waaay before the move)! Here’s to the next five years being equally awesome!
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I’m not crying, you’re crying!
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This is such a sweet and inspiring post. I can’t remember how long I’ve been following along with your journey by now, but I do know that I’ve loved every moment of it. Every year you seem to grow more as a person and become even happier with yourself and your life, and that truly is wonderful to see. I also loved reading about your relationship with Jeff blossom into a marriage. Who knew that a change of scenery would result in all that has happened to you over the last 5 years!
OK this was the cutest thing ever!
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I love this. It sounds like the kind of thing I want to write to my 14 year old self, or to the 2016 me who was scared and stressed all the time and had no idea what to do to make herself happy again. Turns out a 300 mile move to Scotland and taking up running was the answer….
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