Camping Epiphanies

Hey everyone! A few weeks ago, I went on a camping trip with my family. Now, full disclosure, I ended up being the only one who actually stayed at the campsite the whole time. Everyone else had their own ventures back to the city planned, which left me with a ton of downtime. Let me tell you, it can get lonely sitting by yourself with no distractions, but (and here's the surprising part) it was also incredibly eye-opening.

The quiet, punctuated only by the occasional crackle of the fires and the (let's be honest) not-so-subtle scent of recreational marijuana wafting from a neighboring campsite, became a space for some serious self-reflection. Without the usual distractions of social media, YouTube, or even just conversation, I had a chance to really dig deep and think about where I'm at in life. And guess what? It’s often me sitting alone in my room with little to do. There are moments where I feel stuck, even a little childish. There's still a lot I can't do on my own, and that can be incredibly frustrating.

But here's the thing: Everyone around me seems to be garnering success in different ways. Kyle’s got a family of his own (with their own camp supplies), Lucas is on his religious path and going to be gone for 2 years at summer’s end, Malory's living it up on her own in Provo, and Naomi's a gym rat working on herself physically and holistically They're all succeeding in their own journeys, and that's awesome!

Here's the epiphany that hit me under the full sun and surrounded by nature (courtesy of maybe the campfire smoke, maybe the neighboring campsite, who knows?): Success isn't a competition. Everyone's path is different, and our steps forward are measured on different scales. Focus on your own victories, big or small. Are you making choices to move yourself forward? That, my friends, is what truly matters.

This epiphany was a huge reminder for me to stop comparing myself to others or my past. I am where I am, and instead of getting discouraged, I need to celebrate the small choices I'm making to move forward. Share your stories in the comments! How do you create space for self-reflection in your life?

Let's ditch the comparison game and focus on cheering each other on!