in a blink of an eye

boldher shop in the wild~

as i sit here, sipping on my piping hot coffee and reflecting on this date exactly one year ago, nostalgia floods right in; it always happens when i remember an exact date. it feels utterly impossible to sit here and realize how i’ve lived through the last year. i remember the raw emotions leading up to that day and truth be told, on february 28th, 2024, i was scared shitless. i boarded a plane that morning to georgia, stepping into the unknown, intending to get stronger one step at a time by embarking on the incredible appalachian trail.

i remember taking another leap of faith, announcing my business comeback, only to be faced with an opportunity to tackle the trail and mend my soul. the pull in opposite directions was real, my heart burned to get back to my business, a fire that never died, but my mind? it was elsewhere. scattered. stuck. i was trying to figure out my business, which made me question my choices in life. it dragged me through imposter syndrome, both internal and external doubts, several setbacks, and the most excruciating of all, i couldn't break apart from the thoughts that found urgency in nursing my broken heart. no matter how much i wanted to pour myself into creating, my focus wasn’t there. so when the chance to take on the trail came, i hesitated. so many parts of me wanted to stay, to push forward, to finally give my business the energy it deserved. but deep down, i knew. i couldn’t build from an unsteady foundation. i had to choose: force my way through or step back and heal. and as much as i did not want to admit it then, i needed to get out of my own way first. i couldn’t get creative when my attention stayed there. so i turned to the universe and, as she bears repeating, put yourself first. as i’ve said before, everything i do is with the heart, but my mind needed to be in tandem. i had to make that a priority before i could get back in my shop and create the art the world is waiting for.

...so i went. and boy, i started to stand up taller, as i began to realize my worth.

i shall extend the story over the next blog post.

life happens in the blink of an eye, but when we pause and reflect, like i am looking back on my journey, i realize so much more than if i hadn’t. in the past year, i realized it’s not just about the business; although i tried to live and breathe it solely, it’s about the person behind it and that’s me. i had to take the trip, throw myself into nature because it is the best place to heal, and come back with my heart and mind in tandem. that’s the essence of resilience, and it’s what i’m carrying with me into everything i do with boldher shop.

toodles my friends~

pssst: if you would like to read more, i've written about the start of the trek and those stories live over at @treadingthehalcy0npath (0 is number zero).