In this episode of Dear Kyli, I’m taking you back to where everything really began — cosmetology school.

From knowing I wanted to be in the beauty industry before I could even talk, to moving out at 18, juggling multiple jobs, riding the bus to school, and learning what it actually takes to stick with something when it gets hard — this is the unfiltered version of my early journey.

I talk about loving school, watching classmates drop off, learning who I was (and wasn’t) in the process, navigating money struggles, burnout, identity shifts, and the moment a single test score made me question everything I thought I knew about myself.

This episode isn’t about perfection or having it all figured out.
It’s about endurance.
About trusting yourself after disappointment.
And about realizing that being “behind” doesn’t mean you’re off track.

If you’ve ever felt like your path didn’t follow the timeline you expected — this one’s for you.

Sometimes the question isn’t loud.

It’s quiet.

It shows up late at night… while you’re scrolling… while you’re comparing… while you’re wondering why everyone else seems further ahead.

In this first letter, Kyli opens up about the feeling of being “behind” — the invisible milestones no one talks about, the nonlinear paths we don’t celebrate, and the quiet confusion that comes with building a life that doesn’t follow a template.

If you’ve ever felt like you missed a memo everyone else got… this one’s for you.

Have something on your heart?
Write your own letter and it might be featured on the show:
📩 dearkylipodcast@gmail.com