Have you recently had a dream or season you loved stolen too soon? Or maybe you’ve been thrust into a new opportunity or phase that, though wonderful, feels totally disorienting and overwhelming?

Actress and singer Laura Osnes has found herself in some deep waters over the course of her 15-year career, some miraculously exciting and some terribly heartbreaking.

Whether it was being thrown into the craziness of Broadway from a Minnesota dinner theater at age 21, shifting from stage acting to film for the first time, or reluctantly leaving her life in NYC after being rejected by her peers, Laura has felt the fear and pressures of entering unknown seasons.

In the face of life’s exciting open doors and its devastating endings, Laura inspires us to live with a generous balance of confidence and humility, a rightful sense of betrayal and the freedom of forgiveness.

A few big takeaways for me were:

• Joy comes when you stop measuring your present against the next “I made it moment.”
• Not every open door is a door you should walk through.
• The power of keeping thick skin and a soft heart.
• The permission you have to feel your hurt and own your bitterness without falling victim to it.

No matter what’s on the horizon for you right now or what water you feel like you’re treading, Laura’s story is a testament to how we all can choose joy where we are. Things always change. Doors open and close. Perseverance and faith are readily available to everyone.

Follow Laura on Instagram!