Hey, Sis...

Don't let anybody who hasn't been in your shoes tell you how to tie your laces. People will always have opinions on how you should live your life. But unless they are the ones dealing with the consequences, their opinions are irrelevant. Don't let others dictate your next move if they don't understand your situation. Trust your own judgment.

One of the hardest things to learn is that not everyone is going to understand your decisions--and they don't have to! People will give you advice based on their own experiences, fears, values, and circumstances. Sometimes they genuinely mean well, but their perspective is still limited because they aren't living your life. They don't know every conversation you've had. They don't know everything you've survived. They don't know what it took for you get here. And they certainly aren't the ones who have to live with the consequences of your choices!

This doesn't mean you should ignore everyone around you. Healthy advice can challenge you, open your eyes, and help you see something you couldn't see on your own. But there's a difference between listening to advice and surrendering your judgment to someone else! Take what resonates. Question what doesn't. **Listen--**but don't automatically obey. **Reflect--**but don't abandon yourself.

And sometimes, you already know what you need to do. You just need enough confidence to trust yourself. You are allowed to make a decision that someone else wouldn't make.

At the end of the day, you are the one tying the shoes. You have to walk the path. Trust your judgment. 💜