Starting over is one of the hardest things a person can do.

Especially when you remember how far you had already come.

I know what it's like to look around and feel like everyone else is moving forward while you're standing still.

People you started with are getting jobs.

Some are getting married.

Others are travelling, building businesses, buying houses, or achieving things you once dreamed about together.

And you're there wondering, “What am I doing with my life?”

I've had moments when I felt like I was starting from zero.

It can be lonely.

It can be frustrating.

And sometimes, it can be embarrassing to admit that the plan you had didn't work out.

But I've learned something about starting over.

You are rarely starting from zero.

You may have lost the job, but you still have the experience.

You may have lost the relationship, but you still have the lessons.

The business may have failed, but you still have the knowledge of what not to do next time.

The opportunity may have disappeared, but you are still carrying everything you learned while pursuing it.

Starting over doesn't erase your journey.

It simply means you're beginning a new chapter with everything the previous one taught you.

So, if life has forced you to start again, don't be ashamed of where you are.

Start small.

Take the first step.

Apply again.

Try again.

Learn something new.

Send the message.

Make the call.

Build slowly.

You don't have to have everything figured out today.

Sometimes, all you need is enough courage to begin.

One day, you'll look back at this version of yourself—the one who had to start from scratch—and realize that they were actually building something beautiful.

Not from zero.

From experience.