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.

The holidays used to feel bright and busy, full of noise and magic. This year, everything feels quieter and more tender as I navigate caregiving, change, and a new rhythm we weren’t expecting. But I’m learning that different doesn’t mean wrong. Sometimes the season becomes softer so we can see what matters most.

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.

No one warned me about the quiet that follows motherhood — the hush that settles over your home and your heart once the kids are gone. It's not just silence; it’s space. Space to ask, “Who am I now?” This isn’t emptiness. It’s the beginning of rediscovery.