I think about the brave women in my life who offer gifts and words and examples of perseverance with so much light and beauty. Some of those friends are reading this now. You know who you are. And, for the ones I’ve yet to meet … let’s connect in this new year and invite each other into our stories. Let’s open the blinds, ignite the fire, grab a glass of something bubbly and offer tribute to each other … “To the friends who inspire us! And to no more burnt toast in 2024.”

Once upon a time, there was a fire pit. It resided behind a renovated home in a field of wavering bluegrass where deer often grazed and families of rabbits burrowed near clusters of trees. The fire pit was surrounded by a metal ring and sat atop a small hill that overlooked a moss-covered pond. On chilly nights, it prompted friends to scoot closer together near its resident flames in a half-moon curve of colorful Adirondack chairs. From overhead, it marked the 4.5-acre property like the center of a compass where a midnight moon could be enjoyed at its most northern point ..

So randomly (or not so randomly) on my birthday, I found myself wondering, “What if the woman I am becoming now is the woman I was meant to become all along?” I kinda like her. I like that she speaks up for herself more often and is less afraid of things that are uncertain and new.  I like how her relationships have evolved.

And, that’s when I realize what’s so obvious. When we clear the path for ourselves, we clear the path for others to come into our world when they need to. And, also, when we need them to. Life isn’t meant to be a solo journey. Perhaps all the cutting and trimming we do in our lives is so we can have more room to walk alongside others

I step into the cryotherapy booth and convince myself that three minutes standing in a freezer that blasts air at 150 degrees below zero is worth it. It’s worth it to reduce the inflammation in my body and to experience the exhilaration that comes with conquering something hard, both physically and mentally.

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On February  9, 2022, Stronger Girl coffee was launched on drip as an option to the house blend we served at my coffee shop. By this time, more guests were staying longer and feeling more comfortable to gather …

I awoke before the alarm sounded, surprised that I’d slept most of the night without disruption. Since January, I’d fallen back into waking between 3 and 4 a.m., worry nudging my mind into anxious insomnia. It was a familiar struggle I thought I’d overcome. I was frustrated to think I might be falling back into a cycle that was going to stall the progress I’d made

KEEP LISTENING to the whispers of truth… the ones experienced through the JOY, as well as the PAIN.