XXXIV

I turned 34 this week! In numerology, the number is associated with creativity, self-expression, and communication (I’ll take it!)

Some reflections entering this year:

• 🌙 A good day may take all day. We’ve all had mornings where we wake up with dread. And as we meander on, the daily stress and irritation build. A classic “bad day” in the making. As I’ve gotten older, I realize even the smallest little glimmer of light — slinking into a made bed, taking a hot shower, even a small piece of chocolate — can breathe a fresh end into a lousy beginning. So I may not know it’s a good day until the final hour.

• 💟 Nothing but your company. After moving to a new city and living solo, I spent much time thinking about friendship. As people have moved in and out of my life, I realized the most fulfilling and lasting relationships are built on one thing: just their company. Nothing more. If both parties make an effort and get joy by doing nothing with each other, it’s a mark of something special.

• 🕊️ What’s holding me together? As life twists and turns in mysterious ways, it’s easy to get stretched apart. I’ve felt not enough at various times and places— fixating on things that may tear me apart. A reminder to gently shift my narrative to a new question: what’s holding me together? Go back to the essentials: my health, my people, my faith, and my purpose.