All month long, we have been celebrating our 15th anniversary. Founded in 2008 as Moxie, our name has changed over the years, but the basic premise we were built upon, and our core values have remained the same. At GRIT, we pride ourselves on doing what we say we will, delivering exceptional work with integrity, focusing on long-term relationships over short-term financial gains and staying connected to our community. Fifteen years in business is a big milestone, and as we reflect on the past, we are grateful for our clients, team, community and lessons learned that have all shaped who we are today and contributed to our success.
As we have been reminiscing on the past decade and a half, we couldn’t help but think of our younger selves. In honor of GRIT’s 15th anniversary, we asked each team member to give their 15-year-old selves a piece of advice. Keep reading to hear what everyone said!
LISSA
It’s tough to give advice to your 15-year-old self when everything you have experienced in life molded you into who you are today. I guess I’d say, in life there are so many things that are ever-changing, like fashion and friendships. You’ll be surprised about what things stay and what things go – like your love of bare feet over slippers and how much you’re going to love hand cream in your forties. Just know you can always rely on your family, your values and your faith. Oh, and wear more sunscreen!
ABBY
Be kinder to yourself (try and cut your parents some slack too). The next few years will feel so important and consuming and in a lot of ways they can be, but trust me, there’s SO MUCH great stuff coming up after them too. Enjoy today but take heart in knowing that the future’s also got some pretty incredible things in store! And, side note, go ahead and keep an eye on this new Amazon thing.
BETSY
Don’t wish your life away. Mom always said, the older you get, the faster it goes.
Don’t be afraid to try something new.
Life is not easy and doesn’t always go as planned. Be flexible and go with the flow.
Enjoy what you have. Enjoy life’s journey.
CASEY
Be grateful for every part of your journey because the things you do and go through today will shape you into the person you’ll become. And take some naps! One day, when you have three kids in the home, you’ll wish you would have enjoyed that rest time a little bit more!
DEVON
Don’t fear change, patience is key and buy Bitcoin.
KAYLEE
If I could rewind time and give my 15-year-old self advice (knowing what I know now), I would start by saying don’t stress so much. In ten years, it won’t matter who had straight A’s, perfect attendance or scored the most goals in a lacrosse game. You don’t have to be perfect to be successful. Everything will fall into place, and you’ll end up exactly where you’re supposed to be! Additionally, I would advise my younger self to do more of what I love and pursue my passions, regardless of what is considered cool among others.
MALLORY
I would tell myself it’s OK to not be practical when choosing what to go to school for, to tune into my strengths and do what makes me happy, not what I think will make others happy or bring the most success. There are SO MANY opportunities out there and I shouldn’t box myself in to just what makes sense. Also, I would remind myself to prioritize the following: my health and well-being, my family, my schoolwork and my friendships.
MAYA
I would tell myself to not care so much of what other thinks of you. To take pride in your quirkiness because it inspires creativity. This, along with prioritizing my mental health (talk to a doctor about your options and encourage others), is something I wish I could tell myself when I was an awkward teenager. It took me way too long to realize these important things! On a lighter note, I would tell myself to invest in Netflix stock and to please stop plucking your eyebrows – you will overdo it and they will not grow back well.
As we look ahead to the future, we are excited for the new partnerships, projects and personal and professional growth opportunities that await. Thank YOU for being a part of our journey. Here’s to the next 15 years!