I don’t know if this happens to you, too, but when one season or project wraps up, I rush off to the next thing—without pausing to acknowledge what I’ve done or experienced.
There’s so much juice you can squeeze out a moment of reflection—but you wait for permission to do it. Often, the permission never comes.
So I want to invite you to a catch up! With me, or even just yourself. How was your summer? (Or winter, if you’re in the southern hemisphere.) What’s on the horizon? Tell me everything.
Need a minute? I’ll go first.
One. We adopted a dog. Nicki is currently asleep half way under the dining table where I sit, one paw resting on Avocado, her favorite stuffie. I wrote about her here.
Two. I learned that “disruption follows intention” during a weeklong business event. Day one began with a massive tech breakdown, which host Rachel Rodgers unapologetically turned into a teaching moment. Mind blown! Those three words helped put the sh*t storm that arrived later in the summer into perspective.
Three. I hiked in Discovery Park 79 times. One of those times something fell out of the clear blue sky.
Four. I worked this 40-day Prosperity Plan to improve my money mindset. I read that if you miss a day you have to start over, so I vowed not to and didn’t. Heck, I kept going for ten more days for good measure. Then…oops! Turns out I didn’t follow the instructions all the way. I’ve started over.
Five. I became known for stocking the fridge with a colorful farmer’s market veggie tray and homemade hummus (sometimes hot pink beet hummus). I got pumped up when I overheard one of Reina’s friend say, “Do you know how lucky you are to have a mom who does this???”
Six. I had a one-on-one with Bernadette Jiwa, a bestselling author I admire, and asked how she found the courage to make the leap from business storytelling expert to novelist. “I followed the energy,” she said matter of factly.
Seven. Sage advice is simple like that, so I, too, followed the energy. I enrolled in one writing course (which led to my Medium debut!) and then another course (where I’m writing my next book, a food and family essay + recipe collection, to be completed in 2023).
…and, drumroll….I made a new product that takes you from frazzled to Zen in five seconds! See the picture at the top? That’s it. I condensed the beauty of Seattle Japanese Garden into 52 tiny cards, photographs on one side, gentle reminders and inquiries on the other. They help quiet the noise in your head and feel your heartbeat.
One of the best things about this project was that my inner design geek got to come out and play. So many options, but for this first run, I’ve housed this stack of glossy cards in a gold-flecked drawstring cotton bag, along with a display stand made from reclaimed pine. Holding the package feels like “homecoming” in the palm of my hands…and I hope it feels that way to you, too.
(The ‘Founder’s Club” edition will be ready for purchase in early October in limited quantities. You can get on the waitlist here.)
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I have a confession.
Those seven things weren’t the first things that came to mind when I looked back at this summer.
What jumped out were the regrets: the lake swims I missed, the concerts I didn’t go to, the rooftop bars I didn’t visit, and the meals with friends I never ate. I cringed over the books I returned to the library before cracking them open and the Instagram-worthy pics with the kids that didn’t materialize.
I thought that was garbage talk—but once I wrote them out, I saw that what I grieve tells me a lot about what I love: frolicking, luxuries, art, and intimacy. Knowing this helps me steer my ship in the direction of more love in the coming season.
So I want to remember the regrets, too.
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When you acknowledge your story warts and all, its beauty—and a clear sense of direction and priorities—rise up to meet you.
Please catch you up with yourself; it’ll be so worth it.
