If there is one thing I’ve learned over the years of my life, it is this: No secret sauce exists for creating the perfect life. Despite the hope that one day, a formula will be available that entails every bit of what is good in humanity, we have to make do with what we have. And what we have isn’t perfect. It has taken me many years to grasp this. There are things I know now that I didn’t when I was younger - things I wish I could share with my past self - so I’ll settle for doing it now.

I arrived at the decision of writing this book after what seems like a lifetime of procrastination. I hung on to hundreds of excuses for why it wasn’t the right time or that my life was simply too busy. However, there was a part of me that just didn’t feel like I was ready to do it justice. I’m older now, though. I have the knowledge and the strength to share these parts of who I am.

We grow up in a society that doesn’t really prepare us with answers for “what’s next?" This memoir, then, is my answer. Of course, not everything can be included within this book, but I’ve tried to put my heart into each minute, hoping that it may help someone who was just like me. Someone who just wants a bit of guidance before taking the next step forward.