Checking In: Soft Season

Hello, friends! I've been away for a while. Working full-time while being a full-time student is rougher than a lot of people admit. This semester stretched me in new ways, but I am ending it on a high note and wanted to check in with everyone.

As many of you know, I'm back in school for an associate degree in Multimedia Digital Design. After studying Broadcast Journalism in undergrad, I wanted to add more skills to my wheelhouse and open new doors for the kind of creative work I want to do. Balancing deadlines, projects, and real life has been a lot, but it has also made me more intentional about how I move through my days.

This time of year used to pull me in a very different direction. Holidays were once tangled with habits that only made me feel emptier. The pressure, celebrations, and endless invites would drive me insane. It was easy to slip into old patterns and call it tradition. I always thought I'd miss the things I used to rely on to “feel festive.” But this season feels different now.

This holiday marks four years of choosing myself, waking up clear and learning how to sit with my feelings instead of drowning them, and rebuilding trust with myself in a way that still surprises me. Every milestone feels surreal, especially during a time of year that once brought out my worst habits. Now it brings out my gratitude.

If the holidays feel quieter, calmer, or even a little unfamiliar; you’re not alone. Sometimes the things we think we’ll miss are the very things we outgrow, and that’s a beautiful kind of holiday magic too. I hope this season brings you softness, rest, and moments that remind you of why you started and why you are still choosing this path every single day.

Thank you for being here and for reading. If this resonated with you, I would love for you to stay connected. Subscribe to the blog, share this post with someone who might need it, or leave a comment about your own experiences. Your voice could be the encouragement someone else has been waiting for.

Here is to calmer, more intentional holidays, clarity, and choosing yourself again and again. 🥂