Let’s Start from the Beginning

Nothing changes if nothing changes.

For a long time, I fell into the trap of expectations—assumptions, stories, and roles that were never mine to begin with. I often reflect on the last five years, but rarely do I speak about the years before that. Why? Because, truthfully, I was living what felt like the easiest timeline of my life. I worked, I fell in love, I had children—and that was it.

I didn’t realize how much of my identity had been quietly edited down to fit a version of success that was handed to me: work hard, go to school, get a good job, have a family, be kind. That was the checklist. And I followed it. I thought I was safe because I had done what I was “supposed” to do.

But that life—while beautiful—was only a small fraction of who I really am.

The real shift came in 2020. Moving to Austin triggered the most difficult, soul-shaking chapter of my life. Within two months, we completed a home renovation in Dallas (a home I’d never get to fully enjoy), sold it, bought another one, and jumped into virtual schooling with my kids. I became the villain for moving my son mid-baseball season, found out I was pregnant, lost my father-in-law, caught COVID, and then discovered I had lost the pregnancy—in my second trimester.

It was grief on top of grief.

My marriage was unrecognizable. I was completely alone in a new city, and I wasn’t sure I would make it. That version of me—raw, unraveling, and in pieces—was also the version of me that found hope. And that hope? It turned into courage. Then resilience. Then something I never expected: empowerment.

Because when you’ve already lost what feels like everything, you’re no longer afraid of starting over.

And that’s what I did—quietly, one day at a time.

This is the story of my rebuild.

This is the story of how I found myself again.

This is the beginning.