This week, after working sick for five straight days, I realized just how deeply I’ve tied my worth to pushing through. Midlife is teaching me that ease isn’t laziness, it’s alignment. This December, I’m choosing softness over survival mode.

Thanksgiving looked different for us this year. With Jason recovering from his stroke and the kids stepping in to cook, we shared a slower, sweeter holiday that included a handed down favorite from his family: cheese pie. Sometimes the holidays that shift end up showing us what family really means.

Caregiving is sacred, but it’s also heavy. This season of midlife has brought new challenges as my husband faces health struggles, and I’m learning that love doesn’t erase fear. Sometimes strength looks like showing up even when your knees shake.

There was a time when I thought gratitude had to be grand. But midlife has taught me something different, that real gratitude lives in the quiet moments, the everyday details, the things we often overlook. It’s become one of the most healing parts of my wellness routine.

When your parents are gone, your sibling becomes the only one left who remembers the whole story. After losing my mom, I found something I never expected — a new, deeper connection with my sister. In the rubble of grief, we began to rebuild not just our relationship, but our family.

Once, “healthy” meant chasing thinness and pushing through exhaustion. Now, in midlife, health means honoring my energy, listening to my body, and caring for the woman I’ve become. Vitality has layers — and it looks different than it used to.

For years, I thought saying yes made me a good person. But in midlife, I’ve learned that saying no isn’t selfish — it’s sacred. No protects my energy, honors my peace, and leaves room for the yeses that truly matter.

In a chaotic world, sometimes happiness looks like something small, sturdy, and waiting just outside your front door. Here’s why that mat (and a little Matchbox Twenty inspiration) says more about midlife joy than you’d think.

One small compliment had me shook and reminded me how much women need to build each other up instead of tearing each other down.

Midlife is a season of becoming — but for me, it’s also a season of missing. As I navigate change and rediscovery, I grieve the two women who shaped me most: my mama and my grandmother. This is what it’s like to grow into the matriarch without the women who once guided me.

In a world that feels increasingly loud and divided, kindness is not weakness—it’s strength. From a four-year-old’s hug to the wisdom of midlife, kindness is how we reclaim our humanity, build connection, and create a legacy that outlasts chaos.

A trip to the DMV is never high on anyone’s list of fun ways to spend the day, but I didn’t expect mine to turn into a full-blown identity crisis. All it took was one unexpected question: “Black or grey?”

Today, I’m officially submitting my application to the East Texas Branch of the WDNC Club — founded by the one and only @justbeingmelani. Because we’re not done growing, glowing, or giving a damn — we’ve just refined what we give a damn about.