One morning, before sunrise, I set out on my daily beach walk, something I do to pray, meditate, and release. On this particular day, I was joined by my dear friend, fellow beach lover, and co-founder of The Daily Drip, Romi Wallach. I was excited to share with her the peace I find on these early walks, knowing how she loves the sea as much as I do. Together, we set off under the dim sky, walking and talking, sharing updates about our lives, and taking in the calming sounds of the waves.

At one point, Romi noticed a sea turtle nest and asked, "Have you ever seen a sea turtle on the beach?" I paused, thinking about all my visits to Fort Lauderdale beach, and realized something surprising– I hadn’t. 

Despite all my time spent near the ocean, I had never witnessed this beautiful creature in action. How had I missed this? It wasn’t as if I hadn’t walked the same shoreline countless times before, but something about this day made me realize that I had been so hyper-focused on other things during those walks, that I had missed such a small but amazing wonder.

This made me think: Had I been seeing but not perceiving? 

I started to reflect on how often we become consumed by the results we’re striving for—focused on our goals, careers, dreams, responsibilities, etc. While those things are important, we sometimes miss the sacred, small moments happening all along the way. I had been walking this beach for years, and yet, I hadn’t truly seen one of its most awe-inspiring creations until this moment. 

We continued walking, reflecting on how easily we can overlook the beauty right in front of us. It was a quiet, contemplative walk. As we neared the end, something else caught our attention: a small crowd had gathered further down the shore. Curious, we approached and discovered that they were surrounding a baby sea turtle making its journey from the nest to the ocean.

It was the tiniest turtle I had ever seen, and it had made it halfway—about 50 feet from its nest—with another 50 to go before reaching the water. Among the onlookers was a conservationist whose job was to monitor the baby turtles, ensuring they weren’t harmed by predators like seagulls. She explained that her role wasn’t to assist or interfere with the turtle’s journey, but simply to watch over it.

That’s when something extraordinary clicked inside me. I turned to Romi and said, "We are baby sea turtles." 

Witnessing this baby sea turtle wasn’t a coincidence; it was a calling to me on my journey. It was a lesson for me to learn, at a time when I needed to learn it most. One you may need to learn too.

So what can we learn from a sea turtle?

1. It’s Not About How You Start, It’s About How You Finish

Sea turtles travel thousands of miles to return to the same beach where they hatched to lay their own eggs. Those eggs incubate for 45 to 70 days, vulnerable to predators, human interference, and weather conditions (World Wildlife Fund). This vulnerable start is a stark reminder that, much like the baby sea turtle, many of us begin our journeys at the mercy of what’s happening around us. 

Our confidence, determination, and perspectives are shaped by external forces—circumstances that we often can’t control. Maybe it’s an unstable environment, financial struggles, or emotional burdens that weigh us down. Maybe it’s expectations that were placed on us long before we could define our own path. The world around us has a way of shaping how we see ourselves, whether we’re ready or not.

But just as the mother sea turtle instinctively returns to the beach where she herself hatched, giving her babies the best chance at life, we too are equipped with the tools we need to overcome these challenges. Survival, adaptation, and resilience are in our DNA. Growth happens within us, even when we can’t see it—just like the sea turtle hatching beneath the sand, unaware of the world it’s about to face. The beginning of the journey may be full of obstacles, but it’s also filled with the potential for transformation.

And let’s not forget—the journey isn’t just rocky at the start. As the baby turtle scrambles toward the ocean, it faces wave after wave, sometimes getting knocked back farther than it’s able to move forward. In many ways, this mirrors our own lives. Even after we’ve taken the first step toward our dreams, setbacks come in all forms—unexpected health issues, career disruptions, relationship challenges, or even self-doubt. Much like the waves that batter the turtle, life’s challenges can leave us feeling like we’re being pushed backward, no matter how hard we’re trying to move forward.

But here’s the thing: just like that sea turtle, we are designed to win. 

Even in the face of relentless challenges, we are built to keep going. The very fact that the turtle keeps pushing toward the ocean, despite being knocked back, is a testament to the resilience within all of us. Every setback is part of the bigger plan, a necessary chapter in the larger story of our lives.

Though my own start was imperfect and terrifying, I’ve learned that every wave, every challenge, is shaping me into the person I’m meant to become. Our rocky beginnings and turbulent journeys aren’t meant to defeat us—they’re meant to equip us with the strength, wisdom, and perseverance we need to reach our own ocean, our destiny.

‍2. The First Step is Often the Hardest

The baby turtle didn’t just stumble into the ocean; it took that first, terrifying step from the nest toward its destiny. The journey from the nest to the sea is fraught with uncertainty, and for many of us, so is the leap from security to chasing our dreams. Like that baby turtle, we often face a vast unknown, where every step feels risky and unfamiliar. Yet, staying in the nest—staying in the safety of what we know—only holds us back from the purpose and potential we’re meant to fulfill. The first step is the hardest, but it’s also the most essential.

When I made the decision to leave my career as a senior corporate lawyer to open my own law firm, it felt like I was failing every single day. The safety and structure of my old role, even though I had long outgrown it, still provided a sense of comfort. I knew the terrain. I knew what was expected of me. But just as the baby turtle is instinctively drawn to the ocean, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was being pulled toward something greater—toward my destiny. I had to trust that pull, even though the journey ahead was uncertain.

What’s nagging at you? What’s calling you to take that first step? What’s urging you to leave the nest of familiarity and dive into the unknown? I want to encourage you to take that risk. Just like the sea turtle, your journey begins with that first step. Even if the path ahead is uncertain, you have everything inside you to navigate it. Often, it’s that leap—though scary—that unlocks strength, resilience, and growth you never knew were within you.

‍3. You’re Not Alone, Even When You Feel Like It

Even though that baby turtle looked so small and vulnerable, it wasn’t entirely alone. The conservationist was there, watching over it, making sure no predator would attack it on its journey. 

But it wasn’t just the conservationist. There was a small crowd that had gathered, quietly watching, united in their hope for the little turtle’s success. We were all strangers, but in that moment, we were connected by one goal—seeing this tiny creature make it to the ocean. That’s the beauty of community. Just like that crowd, there are people, some we may not even know, rooting for us and cheering us on as we push forward.

Romi’s presence on that walk reminded me of the value in being open to connections and disruptions to our routine. I walk the beach every day for peace and solitude, but that day, Romi’s positive energy and companionship led me to see something I had never seen before—a baby sea turtle. Her request to join my walk was a reminder that sometimes, letting others into your sacred space isn’t a disruption; it’s an opportunity to expand your perspective.

There’s a delicate balance between finding time for ourselves and recognizing when it’s time to let others in. Romi’s company wasn’t a disturbance to my solitude; it was a gift—a fresh perspective and an opportunity to witness something extraordinary. Sometimes, it's in those moments where we allow ourselves to be open to people that help us see things we may have been blind to before.

Communities like The Daily Drip are built on this principle. You may not know everyone personally, but you can be confident that you’re part of a network that’s rooting for your success. It’s a reminder that we’re not meant to be islands, navigating life alone.

Regardless of your faith or beliefs, we all have something bigger than ourselves guiding us. For me, it’s my faith in God, which reassures me that, even when I feel lost or alone, I’m never truly by myself. There’s a force looking out for me, protecting me on my journey. The obstacles I face are not the end—they’re just new lessons, opportunities to grow, and reminders to trust the process.

‍4. Setbacks Are Setups for Great Comebacks

As Romi and I watched, we saw the baby turtle struggle against the waves. Every time it took two steps forward, the tide pushed it four steps back. There were moments when it seemed like the poor creature would never make it to the water. 

But it never turned back.

The turtle knew there was nothing left for it back at the nest. Everything it needed was ahead of it. And despite every setback, it eventually made it to the ocean. 

The conservationist told us that once it reached the water, its next journey was to the Gulf Stream, where it would face a whole new set of risks and challenges. But just as it made the seemingly impossible journey from the nest to the water, it was designed to survive whatever came next.

Life may feel like it’s knocking you backward but remember, like the sea turtle, you were designed to make it. 

Keep moving forward, no matter how many waves knock you down. Your Gulf Stream—your destiny—is waiting for you.

If you’re standing at a crossroads right now, wondering if you have what it takes to leave the safety of your nest and move toward your dreams, consider the possibility that these dreams were planted in you for a reason. And let the sea turtle’s journey remind you that you are designed to win. You have everything inside you to make it to your ocean.

But let’s remember something important: it’s not just about how you finish—it’s about how you journey. 

Be focused, yes. Strive for excellence, absolutely. But don’t let those ambitions blind you to the beauty and wisdom all around you. It’s the small, seemingly insignificant moments—the laughter with friends, the stillness of the sunrise, the unexpected appearance of a baby sea turtle—that can speak to you about your journey, reminding you to slow down, to breathe, and to be present.