The Journey from Humble Beginnings to Where You Are Now

Starting Small: Lessons from a Beachfront Café

They say humble beginnings build character, and if that’s true, my parents’ little beachfront café built more of it in me than most people see in a lifeline. There’s nothing quite like learning how to pour iced tea with one hand while balancing a tray of fried shrimp in the other to teach you the art of multitasking, people-watching, and listening closely to quirky customer stories. (Trust me, everyone thinks they’re the only one who’s fallen in love over a plate of hush puppies.)

From the endless parade of tourists, I learned humanity’s vast rainbow of quirks—like the guy who ordered a cheeseburger, no cheese, just vibes. Living life in the middle of all that organized chaos showed me the value of slowing down and savoring moments when you find them. That kind of grounding would come in handy later when I embarked on a much trickier mission: trying to carve out my career while figuring out who I was.

But humble doesn’t mean stagnant. It means knowing you’re starting small but nurturing big dreams. Back then, my daydreams were as wide as the ocean on the other side of the café window, and even then, it wasn’t lost on me: this place was a lot like love. A little messy sometimes, full of unexpected surprises, but better when you roll with it and dare to dive in.

Behind Every Journey, an Awkward First Draft

When I left for college in Charleston, I didn’t exactly burst into town like a rom-com heroine with her life together. Instead, I arrived with a creaky suitcase, a love of literature, and a very questionable talent for overthinking. Have you ever written an email draft, scrapped it, and then rewritten it ten more times before realizing…you didn’t hit send? That was me, only with essays, texts to people I liked, and pretty much everything else in life.

Relationships back then were just as awkward as my first college paper: well-intentioned, riddled with typos, and usually more cringe-worthy than I wanted to admit. But just like writing, love is something you revise, polish, and learn from. You start messy, you learn the rhythm, and you improve through every delightful disaster.

Even then, with all my faults, I had a spark—because belief in your potential is what turns the mundane into the extraordinary. Like the way a bustling café slowly hums into home or how a poorly written paper morphs into something almost brilliant after 27 redrafts.
To discover what you’re capable of, you just have to start. Buckle up. Trip over yourself a little. Be bad at it first.

Big Cities and Bigger Lessons

After graduation, I wanted to see what it looked like to “dream big.” So, naturally, I set off for New York City. Spoiler: living there is not for the faint of heart or the overly sentimental beach kid. Don’t get me wrong—there’s an exhilarating magic to it, too. Subways churn while billboards beam brightly at 2 a.m., and everyone you meet is chasing their own purpose.

But here’s the truth: I missed sweet tea (call me Southern, but there’s no right way to drink it north of Charlotte). I missed the ocean, stretching in its quiet, unbothered splendor. And more than anything, I learned that sometimes you have to pause in the noise of ambition and ask yourself what matters most.

My time in NYC showed me something important: big isn’t always better. Extraordinary doesn’t have to be loud, fast, or world-famous. Sometimes that extraordinary glow is the gentle one, like a star over a quiet beach town.

The Art of Being "Extra" in a Good Way

Eventually, I found myself back home—where things seemed extraordinarily “ordinary.” Myrtle Beach doesn’t exactly scream movie-worthy transformation in most people’s minds. But for me? It’s where the subtle joys shine, and those are joys I’d bet my stash of café leftovers on being key in any life—and relationship—journey:

  1. The Extraordinary Power of Patience: Relationships, careers, even personal growth—they all take time. Whether your thing is perfecting latte art or navigating your feelings for that person who shares your kayak rental obsession, a little patience goes a very long way.

  2. Turning Routine into Romance: Sure, life can feel routine at times, but it’s precisely in those routines—the second cup of coffee, tossing Frisbees at sunset—that we carve out space for love, connection, and fulfillment. It’s the magic hidden in daily moments. (Pro tip: Even grocery shopping with the right person has “date vibes” potential.)

  3. Being Playfully Intentional: There’s beauty in approaching life like a beachcomber—sorting through the sand for treasures but knowing you'll find value no matter what. Leaning into curiosity and playfulness gave me—and continues to feed—the tools to navigate both writing and relationships.

Three Takeaway Lessons for Your Own Story

So, what does this mean for you, whether you're on Myrtle Beach’s shores or navigating life elsewhere? Transitioning from ordinary to extraordinary isn’t about changing where you are or buying into glitzy Instagram filter versions of fulfillment. It’s about perspective, small habits, and learning when to take yourself (and others) lightly.

  1. Let Your Journey Have Flavor: Just like iced tea without sugar is sacrilege (yes, I said it), your story deserves spice. Lean into both the chaos and calm of figuring things out. Life gets a lot more flavorful when we choose curiosity over caution.

  2. Define Your Extraordinary, and Then Own It: Forget other people’s highlight reels. What makes you feel most alive? For me, it’s being near the ocean, meeting new people, and spinning stories that make sense of messy moments. Whatever it is for you, have the courage to lean into it unapologetically.

  3. Revise, Adapt, Keep Going: Like revisiting a draft or adjusting to tide changes, life and love are about tweaking what doesn’t work and celebrating when you finally get it just right. Even when it’s hard, don’t stop showing up—because extraordinary is simply the ordinary you dared to revisit with fresh eyes.

The Comfort in Coming Back

Here’s the best part of going from ordinary to extraordinary: you can’t unlearn it. Once you’ve seen the magic a little patience, grit, and self-discovery can add to the simplest things, life will never look the same.

My story may have started in a humble beach café, but it’s flowed into a journey rich with unexpected lessons—from the boardwalk romances around me to the sprawling vastness of the coastal sky. That journey isn’t perfect, but it’s mine—and guess what? So is yours.

Wherever you are, however ordinary it feels, remember you’re always on your way to something extraordinary. Keep going. Keep hoping. Who knows? Your next adventure might just be waiting in the glow of a sunset or the surprise of a shared laugh.