Michelle Douglas is a writer and mentor with a passion for helping individuals and brands uncover their reason for being and share their story. At age twenty-one she began a career in advertising and marketing. At the same time, she began the practice of journaling and recording life lessons. She shares the inspiring life advice she has gleaned from this practice with twentysomethings through contributions to Thrive Global and on Instagram at @fieldguidefortwenties. Michelle is the founder of Ladder, a brand strategy and communications company focused on social good, where she has worked with clients ranging from Olympic athletes to Harvard Business School New Venture Competition winners. A native of Florida and transplant from Atlanta, Michelle feels fortunate to call many places home. She currently lives with her husband and young daughter in Annapolis, Maryland.

Life in your early twenties is an exciting time—but it can also feel chaotic, filled with new adventures, relationships, and emotions. You want the years ahead to be full of opportunity, but how will you find your way? It is possible to maintain a strong sense of self while you experience all you are about to go through—moving, working, loving, losing, quitting, building, and more. You just need a little help.

Written for anyone just starting out or suddenly starting over, this field guide—part advice book, part journal—will help you discover the very important yet not so obvious lessons to be learned in early adulthood. In these pages, Michelle Douglas shares learnings from her own life and ten-year journaling practice alongside thought-provoking prompts with valuable lessons like . . .
• the weakness isn’t necessarily where the leak shows
• surround yourself with people who are willing to lift while they climb
• you can’t change the shape of a piece to force it into your puzzle
• don’t go looking for love, go looking for things you love to do
• it’s what you bring to the table, not how long you’ve been sitting at it

The biggest learning of all will be how to recognize and record lessons in the future. Equipping every twentysomething with the tools they need to enrich their life, Don’t Wear Shoes You Can’t Walk In is an accessible, indispensable guide to surviving and enjoying early adulthood.