Seeing yourself through someone else’s eyes

You don’t always see it, but you’re growing

Photo by Jack Baxter on Unsplash

Hey you,

I’m starting today’s letter with a question. Do you know that sometimes, you’re so focused on the next step that you easily forget how far you’ve come. You’re in motion, ticking boxes, chasing dreams… and you don’t even realise you’re becoming someone new.

Yesterday, I got a message from a friend. It wasn’t long, but it got me thinking. My friend who sent me a message told me that she’d been watching me quietly — how I’ve been showing up in different ways. And then she said, “I’m proud of you and all you’re doing.”

I didn’t know what to say at first but I responded. And then after sometime I just sat with it. I even told another friend of mine that I was happy to see it because I sometimes second guess myself even when I know I’m better than I used to be.

Let me tell you something: the past few months haven’t been the easiest for me if I’m being honest. I’ve been navigating decisions that scare me. Trying things I don’t fully know how to do. Putting myself out there than ever before. It’s been extremely stretching and humbling for me at the same time.

And I’ve noticed something — when you’re in a growth season, there’s a subtle temptation to “toughen up.” You tell yourself, I need thicker skin, or I can’t let anyone get to me, or I have to be strong all the time.

But here’s what I’m learning: You can grow and still stay soft. You can be ambitious and still be gentle.

You can build something new without losing yourself in the process.

Softness doesn’t mean weakness. It means you can be open without being naïve, kind without being a pushover, and grounded without being rigid.

That message from my friend reminded me: real growth is not just about achieving more — it’s about becoming more of yourself.

So here’s my question for you this weekend:

If someone was quietly watching your life right now, what would they notice has changed about you? And in the middle of all that growth, how will you protect the parts of you that makes you feel like yourself?

P.S. If this made you think of someone who’s growing beautifully right now, I think you should forward this to them. Sometimes we all need that reminder.