"
You don’t wake up successful — you grow into it.
My graduation wasn’t about the stage or the applause. It was about every late night that almost broke me, every failure that taught me how to rebuild, and every quiet win no one saw but me.
When I finally crossed that stage, I didn’t feel like I was finishing something — I felt like I was becoming someone.
I still wear my Noelle Pearl Necklace when I need to remember that feeling. The single pearl reminds me that growth takes time, and grace, and a lot of faith.
I’m not the same woman who started. And I never want to be.
