Hello there.

It’s been awhile. I no longer am typing this out underneath the palm trees of South Florida. Instead, I am surrounded by the tall pines and maples of North Carolina. Greensboro to be exact. Mark and I packed up our poodle, cats, turtle, and all worldly possessions and arrived in September 2021.

From September 2021 until May 17, 2023, my life has been an entire blur. Moving away from the only state and county I have ever known turned my life upside down. Jumping into a job within days of moving was an experience that I strongly advise against, and working said job with very little time to reflect on major life changes was my tipping point.

While I made significant gains in many areas of my life, I neglected to tend to the foundation. I completely took back my willpower and lived in my ego state. Now that I have the time and space to reflect, it is important to recommit to the work that makes me whole.

• Al-Anon 12 Steps/Meetings
• Acknowledging the unmanageability of my life and returning to my Higher Power
• Writing and journaling
• Space for daily meditation and literature
• Mindfulness
• Creativity

When I feel emboldened to live my life in such a way that I no longer feel the need for this maintenance, then I have returned to Step One: We admitted we were powerless over alcohol*—that our lives had become unmanageable.

*In my world, alcohol is synonymous with other forms of addictions, compulsions, fears, and living through my ego.

Part of the reason I moved to Greensboro was to connect more deeply to people, nature, and myself. In South Florida, I felt like an outsider. Isolated. Invisible. Easily lost in a populous state. Now that I am returning to my foundation, I believe that my original intentions will manifest.

In moments of panic, I have longed to return to the familiar. How easy it would be to drive down Military Road or stroll through Green Cay? There have been times I have longed for the old rhythms of Florida. It is in this present moment that I realize I have already received those gifts and the true homecoming I desire is to myself.

So, welcome back. It is nice to be here again.