Two years ago I embarked on a new kind of adventure and like most of those I take, I was wildly unprepared.

Fueled by a false confidence in my construction skills, a fierce overestimation in my free time, and a slight financial cushion, I jumped blindly and excitedly into a house purchase and renovation.
With the help of my family and friends, we demolished the interior of a home in (south) East Austin and slowly pieced it back together.

I learned a lot throughout this project, and despite the trauma and tears I would (and will) do it again soon.

In full cliché, sometimes I think: it wasn’t the house that was being built. This house was building me.

It taught be to be a better delegator, to work with and trust those who are more talented than me in order to produce a masterpiece. It refined my ability to plan my time, make quick decisions, and it sharpen my discipline. And hot damn did it teach me a new kind of patience.

Compared to the people I admire, it seems like such a small accomplishment to have been able to purchase this simple 1,000 square foot house and renovate it myself.

But we don’t put the ‘before’ photo of one building next to the ‘after’ of another and pick apart differences, so why would I be so quick to compare myself to others?

The only comparison we should be looking at against the current version of ourselves is how far we’ve come from who we used to be.

This might seem to be one tiny achievement for a developer or full time real estate investor. But for 2009 Richelle, who was looking longingly at houses to purchase and renovate with $44 in her bank account, this is magnificent.

A gentle reminder to stop comparing yourself to others — it’s like sampling apples and oranges and becoming frustrated that they don’t taste the same.

Stick to shaping your soul into the best version of yourself and you’ll always be winning. ✨