I had one of those rare, meaningful conversations over lunch today. The kind where you leave feeling a little lighter, a little clearer, and a lot more aware of the rooms you’ve been waiting to enter.

It wasn’t about answers or big decisions. It was about perspective.

As I listened, I recognized familiar words and questions—questions I’ve asked myself and still revisit from time to time:

Am I doing enough?
Will it matter if I’m not here?
Have I earned my place at the table?

I didn’t see the person across from me as someone to fix or advise. I saw a fellow traveler on this journey of growth. And I saw a reflection of the future me I’m working toward: someone who no longer waits for perfect timing, or full confidence, to take the next step.

The conversation was a reminder of the power of meeting with people who want to see you grow. People who believe in your potential and gently nudge you to unlock the doors you’ve been standing outside of, telling yourself “Not yet. Maybe when I’m more ready.”

The truth is, growth rarely feels perfectly timed. It feels uncertain. Messy. But it happens when we choose to move forward anyway.

Today’s lunch was a gift: a chance to remember that sometimes we are further along than we give ourselves credit for—and that the next room we’re meant to enter is waiting for us to simply turn the knob.