Own. It.

“How many can I take into the dressing room?” I asked with a handful of black, white, and navy gowns layered across my arm. “Five,” she responded. I counted five and placed the others alongside the room. “I will be back for those in a few minutes,” I said as I shut the door behind me. It was a few days after Christmas, and I was thinking about dresses. I wanted to start searching. I spent the afternoon wondering around stores. I was searching for red.

***

I sat across from you at the long table. It was just you and I that afternoon. I sat across from you listening. Listening to you pour your heart out. I sat across from you, and I just wanted to whisper two words to you. Two simple words. Own it. Own. It.

You wanted me to tell you the short answer to fixing all your problems. That there actually is one short answer to fixing all of your problems. That one decision will solve everything. That one person will change it all. All your life problems. All your relationship problems. All your financial problems. You wanted me to tell you the short answer. And I wanted nothing more than to see you happy. At that moment I knew you needed nothing more than just a listening ear. But, today I’m whispering to you two powerful words…My short answer. Own it. Own. It.

Own the season you are in with life. The learning season. The exploring season. The unexplainable season. Be honest with yourself. Accept that this is only temporary. That this will only last for so long. And enjoy it. You will learn something from this. Something that you will need.

Own what you truly want. What makes your heart light on fire. What puts a smile on your face. What gives you happiness and peace and purpose. You may not understand it today, but there are reasons for it. 

Own your weaknesses and your failures and your insecurities. They a part of you. Keep in mind they do not come close to ever defining who you are. They are just a part of the process. A part of the learning and the growing.

And own the scary thoughts that come to your mind. The ones that make you question if you got what it takes. If you are capable. If you are able. Say them out loud. Write them down. And then show them what you are made of. Show them who you really are. Show them you are able. Show them you.

I am going to let you in on a secret. We don’t all have it figured out. I thought that for so long. That everything must have an answer. That it all must be explained. But the truth is there is freedom in the unexplainable. 

And, yes, we may act as though everything is perfect. Everything is good. But we are all figuring out something. Something with life. Something in love. Something with work. Something in general. And we walk everyday in uncertainty knowing that at any moment our questions may get answered. We are filled with hope. Yet, until those days happen, we just walk. We accept where we are at and what we are doing and we walk.

We walk with uncertainty. With purpose. With confidence. We own it.

***

Black. White. Navy. That is what hung inside the dressing room with that first round of picks. Looking back at that day makes me smile. For weeks I thought about a red dress. A red dress with my hair pulled up and gorgeous earnings. I always knew the dress would be red. And here I was staring at everything, but red. Black. White. Navy. It was like every part of me was a little afraid to admit what I wanted. Admit what I was going for. And as I stood there trying on beautiful dresses, I couldn’t stop thinking about two words. My short answer. Own it. Own. It.