Dearest lovebugs! 🐞

I have so much to tell you. Let's start with a story.

After a booze-and-beach-filled summer, I felt overweight and out of shape. Accountability partners help keep me on track, so I grabbed a friend. Together with her, I walked my ass to the nearest Lisbon fitness club. I happily signed up for a membership.

My Portuguese trainer asked me in English, “What would you like to accomplish?”

Over the next 12 months, I’d like to build upper body strength. I'd also like to replace 20 lbs of fat with weight loss and muscle gain.

He put me on a 3Xs per week schedule.

Part 1: Upper body “pull” exercises
Part 2: Leg day
Part 3: Upper body “push” exercises

Seeing fellow Midwesterner Christine Gallagher Kearney's recent IG post reminded me how much growth is possible.

I shared the screenshot above with my personal trainer and text him, “I'm building strength at my own pace.”

His response was beautiful. It's also widely applicable to life in general.

"A lot of people tend to compare different journeys to their own. It's very toxic in a lot of ways, and not realistic in the slightest.
Besides, especially on social media, nowadays we mostly see the highlights of everyone’s life. No one shares the struggle, the constant fighting between bad phases in life. Which is sad, because it's in the struggle that we really build ourselves to become bigger and better!!!!
And best believe Twanna, with all your positive energy, and commitment that you're showing I'm sure that the best version of yourself is right around the corner!!!! LET'S KEEP GOING!!! Enjoy the journey... it's only a matter of time until we cross the finish line 💪🏼😊

I'm so grateful for his kind words. 🙏

For the private parts version of this love letter, I'll share details about a few recent wins, and losses, I've endured in Lisbon. For now, a few highlights:

Losses

Took three trips to the pet emergency hospital with Catsby. (She's fine now.)
Got into a car accident. (I'm fine now.)
Priced out by my Lisbon landlord who wanted to raise the rent 54% in less than one year
Outbid on an apartment I wanted to buy
Some private stuff I can only share in the private parts version of the Tiny, Private Love Letter

Wins

Booked half a dozen Europe-based speaking gigs in three months
Traveled to different parts of Portugal
Made new friends
Finally found the flat that I believe will be the perfect fit for my base in Lisbon

If you're going through life's ups and downs at the moment, remember: You're only competing with yourself. The previous version of you may have dreamed of achieving some aspects of the current you.

Of course growth is uneven. The me that left NYC would be disappointed I gained 20 pounds of fat within two years of leaving the city for Washington, D.C. However, I could have never imagined that, several years after the DC move, I’d be building a beautiful life in Lisbon. 🎉

We never know what our future fortunes hold, or when things will change for better or worse.

Sending love to you - wherever you are on this planet, and on your journey.

Tiny, Private Love Letter

You Are Competing with Yourself