has been such an amazing year for me. Reflecting on how far I've come just makes me feel eternally grateful and extremely humbled.
2 years ago, I was briefly homeless. With the help of eliserose and her fianc茅's family's extreme kindness, I was able to move into an affordable apartment out in West Virginia while I got my life together. I was driving over 100 miles round trip to another state for a part-time job where I was only making $15/hour and barely scraping by each month.
Now, I'm a store manager on the most popular shopping street in Boston, getting paid more than double what I was 2 years ago. I have an amazing team, I work for a great company and I wake up every morning excited to go to work. I have a stable income and no longer have to skip meals or ask friends for money to make ends meet.
To my friends who stayed on call with me to make me feel safe while I slept in my car,
To the people who kept me company while I drove 11 hours from Boston to my new home,
To those of you who listened to me cry about how much I hated my life,
And to everyone who helped me financially or otherwise when I was in desperate need,
Thank you. You saved my life and I wouldn't be here without you.
As someone who's had a very rough 2 years as well, this year has been pivotal for good change. It takes a lot to pick yourself back up after hitting rock bottom, so remember to really enjoy the life you've built for yourself by being present, and grounding yourself in reality. The residual feelings will spill over sometimes, but you've got this.
