A Year of Change

My year of change began almost exactly one year ago.

On July 10th, I walked away from what had been our primary source of income and trusted

that somehow, some way, we would figure it out.

Looking back, that sounds remarkably brave.

Or slightly unhinged.

The jury is still out.

In a week, that decision will officially be one year old.

I wish I could tell you I spent the last twelve months executing a flawless master plan with

spreadsheets, milestones, and inspirational background music.

I did not.

Instead, I spent an alarming amount of time building fish tanks.

We now have four, which feels less like a hobby and more like an unpaid position in aquatic

management.

I also rescued an impressive number of plants.

Some genuinely needed saving.

Others probably would have survived perfectly well had I resisted the urge to bring them

home.

A Year of Change and Unexpected Growth

Between two dogs, a cat, two birds, and a teenager finishing his senior year of high school,

life remained wonderfully full.

And then Matthew graduated.

Just like that.

One chapter closed.

The strange thing about major life transitions is that nobody hands out a roadmap

afterward.

There is no welcome packet.

No orientation session.

No giant sign pointing toward the next version of yourself.

There is simply a moment when you realize you're standing on a bridge between who you

were and who you're becoming.

And you keep walking.

Learning New Things at Any Age

Over the past year, I earned my yoga instructor certification.

I built this website.

I learned how to make candles.

I opened online shops.

I started creating content.

And at some point, I convinced myself that learning macramé was the next logical life

decision.

Because apparently my hobbies now arrive through a committee process.

Somewhere along the way, I also stopped drinking alcohol and walked away from

prescription medications.

Some changes arrived quietly.

Others kicked the front door open and rearranged the furniture.

Either way, they changed me.

The Questions That Changed Everything

The biggest shift wasn't external.

It happened inside.

This year wasn't about finding all the answers.

It was about becoming willing to ask better questions.

Who am I when I'm not chasing deadlines?

What do I genuinely enjoy creating?

What parts of myself have been waiting for attention all these years?

What happens when I trust myself a little more and fear myself a little less?

I don't have complete answers yet.

But I've discovered that uncertainty isn't always the enemy.

Sometimes uncertainty is simply possibility wearing a disguise.

The Adventure Continues

I still don't know exactly where this path leads.

Maybe I'll finally gather enough courage to sell more of the things I've been creating.

Maybe A'ho Namaste will grow into something bigger than I ever imagined.

Maybe life has an entirely different plan waiting around the bend.

I've learned not to underestimate surprises.

What I do know is this:

I'm no longer interested in living on autopilot.

I'm interested in curiosity.

Creativity.

Growth.

Connection.

And seeing what happens when I stop trying to control every outcome.

A year ago, I walked away from certainty.

Today, I wouldn't trade the lessons for anything.

And if all else fails, I can probably open a fish tank and plant rescue center.

Honestly, business might be booming.

Cheers.

— Cat V ☕🌿🐟