As I conclude my fourth year of writing about #OneGoodThing every day, I want to take a moment (or a month) for a special highlight.

For the month of December, I’ll be shining light each day on some extraordinary women I know. They represent various fields and backgrounds, and I admire each for their passion and strength. These are bold, beautiful, brave women—artists, businesswomen, union organizers, nurses, writers, teachers, movie makers, designers, reporters, and all-around badasses.

I’ve been fortunate enough to call them a colleague or classmate, neighbor or friend. Some I’ve known most of my life, and a few I’ve just met. I can’t wait to share them with you!

Inspired by a few uplifting quotes and a friend’s social media posting, this project will raise up the extraordinary women in each of us and be a guide to those struggling to conquer the dark in their own story.

The women featured in this year’s Raising Up Extraordinary Women have submitted a bio, photo, and answers to the following five questions, carefully curated with the help of my amazing Mama. So I’ll kick off this new project with my own answers… (you can find my bio here)

1. What did you want to be “when you grew up?” I remember wanting to be a self-employed artist! I never liked the idea of working in an office and I always longed to express myself creatively.

2. What makes you the most proud of yourself? I am incredibly proud of my own perseverance. It’s been a difficult journey and I’ve wanted to give up many times. Yet, I have persisted and made the best of everything.

3. What darkness have you overcome? How did you find strength? For nearly four years now, I’ve been writing this daily blog about #OneGoodThing. It has helped me through the darkness of depression and chronic illness, and the loneliness of solo caregiving for a loved one with a cognitive/memory disorder. Focusing on finding a spark of positivity helped me cope, and I’ve found strength in hearing from readers around the world sharing how they’re now looking for the good in their lives.

4. Where will we find you on a Saturday morning at 10 a.m.? Ideally, I’ll still be in bed with a large mug of chai, a good book, and a snuggly dog.

5. What makes you smile the most? Our Boston Terrier rescue dog, Paisley, brings me so much joy and can make me smile even when I’m feeling miserable.

Bonus: What advice would you give your younger self? Worry less, breathe more. Enjoy real food and focus on joy. Love yourself. Even the weird bits. Perhaps especially those bits. Most importantly: Stop the negative self-talk. Enough with that!

Today’s #OneGoodThing with Mama was launching this new project! We are stronger together, so let’s shine a light on our extraordinary sisters! If you’d like to participate or nominate a woman to participate, please send me a note or leave a comment! What was your #OneGoodThing today? Please share in the comments! Kindness is Everything.

Day 334 of 365. And Day 1,430 in a row (here’s the first 366, & the following 365, & the third year of 365 good things)!

1 year ago today: Girl talk

2 years ago today: Day 700

3 years ago today: Can’t put the book down

7 years ago today: A Great Airport Ride… One Way