Cheers To One Year

Exactly one year ago today, I started this journey on Substack with my 1st article. And I made a commitment to myself, last July 24th, that I would write every week.

I’m so proud that I stuck to that commitment and followed through with it, because it truly has been such a joy to be in this space and connect with so many of you here.

Substack has changed so much, even in the past year, but I feel like it’s such a refreshing place to be able to express myself in my full, raw, authentic nature. No filter. Just me. Almost like it would be if you came and saw me for your hair, which a lot of you do.. Sometimes I just like to express myself, and I’m so grateful that any of you care.

What started as inspiration from closing the business that I had for 11 years, and wanting to share the recipes with you all so they could have a life to live on their own~ and so many of you who loved the product line could continue using them~ birthed into so much more…

I’m just so grateful for all that it has taught me.

My dear friend Deborah shared this with me this week. It’s a note from a trip to Thailand we took in 2007! It really felt significant.

You know, I would never have considered myself a writer. But I have always loved to write. I’ve had journals for as long as I can remember, and my first experience with writing was when a dear friend gifted me The Artist’s Way when I was 18 years old, after I had just moved from my hometown in Arizona to begin the life I had always wanted in San Diego, California.

Back then, I lived 3 blocks from the beach, and every day I would walk down to the ocean and do my morning pages. It felt so potent, and I kept that practice until I became a mom.

I still had the practice, it just wasn’t daily or consistent. This platform though, has really helped me to be consistent again, and at the very least know that once a week, I will be sitting down to write..

It all feels so sweet because here I am now, even when it’s not the easiest to sit down and write. When I’m momming full time, juggling work, managing a health crisis and having gone through 2 moves since I started my Substack- and many of you have held this space and witnessed it all.

I am so proud of myself for staying committed and for continuing to share here.

More than anything, I’m writing this today to acknowledge all of you who have been following along on this journey. It truly means the world to me on so many levels.

My true calling is to teach and to share, and I feel like I can really do that in this space. And I look forward to doing even more. Especially when both of my kiddos start school this fall. It will be the first time they’ll both be in school, and I’m really looking forward to having more time to pour into this space.. to share more, to teach more, and to continue building this beautiful little community together :)

I just wanted to thank you all from the depths of my heart for your support, for following along, and for reading some of my little musings~ some of which are honestly not far from my journal entries.

And to acknowledge the fact that committing to anything is so transformative. When we have creative outlets, even when we’re not feeling creative, and we push ourselves to simply share, and in some small way be of service, transformation happens. Growth happens. Sometimes it’s about breaking through our own barriers.

I feel that so deeply.

So anyway, I just wanted to send you all my gratitude and my love, and thank you for a beautiful first year.

Thank you for walking alongside me.

I truly can’t wait to share what’s ahead.