This Women’s Health Month, we’ll be highlighting the journeys of four incredible women from our community as they reflect on different decades of their lives through letters to their younger selves. No matter our age, life is something we’re all navigating for the first time. These stories offer a moment to pause, reconnect with your younger self, and reflect with compassion on the experiences that have shaped you.

When it comes to our 30s, we often imagine that we would’ve had it all figured out by now. After almost a whole decade of being a legal adult, the world around us makes us feel like we should have all the answers. The dream career, the perfect relationship, a beautiful home and an overall happy, healthy life.

But life has a way of revealing what’s not meant for you and breaking it all down. In that process, it might feel like the ground beneath you is giving way. You might come to realize that the career you’ve worked so hard to build doesn’t feel as fulfilling anymore. Or maybe even end things with someone you thought you’d spend the rest of your life with. These moments can feel disorienting, but they often clear space for something more aligned with who you are becoming.

While reflecting back on her 30s, Marjan sees that now. She understands that she had to go through these challenges to be where she is today, and that it’s never too late to start from scratch.

Can you relate to her story? We’d love to hear from you – let us know what you think in the comments below!

Take it a step further – here are a few reflective journal prompts you can use to dive a little deeper into your own experiences:

• What moments in your 30s challenged that version of life you thought you were supposed to have, and what did those moments teach you about yourself?
• Have you ever had to start over in some way (career, relationships, health, etc.)? Looking back now, how did that shape the person you have become today?
• If you could write a letter to your younger self now, what would you tell her? What would you thank her for, and what would you gently remind her of?