Embracing Uncertainty in the New Year

I’m not going to lie. 2023 was one of the weirdest and most unsettling years for me yet. On a global scale, the world seems to be burning, and personally, life has been non-stop, good and bad. Fulfilling my summer obligations, balancing the needs of my family, and attempting to get the house ready to list while recovering from major surgery challenged me in ways that I have no desire to repeat.

In October, as the dust was settling, literally and figuratively, I could reflect and appreciate the progress, but also I was tired. So tired. The method of putting my head down and working seven days a week, all hours of the day, was no longer possible. Something had to change.

Feeling nearly desparate for rest, I started trying to take two days off work every week. I say trying because it took some time to realize how I had structured my life was unsustainable unless I committed to hustling every day. So, I continued to work through priorities slowly while taking an axe to my unrealistic business plan.

As a recovering people pleaser, it nearly killed me to set work boundaries that led to over-promising and under-delivering instead of the other way around. If you’re anything like me, guilt is an emotion that is difficult to shrug off.

I cruised into December with my paid responsibilities behind me, and for the first time ever, I decided to take off the entire month. It has been a much-needed reset.

It has taken about three months, but life is much more balanced. My family is mostly settled, I enjoy regular quality down-time, and BHH is still standing.

Looking Forward to 2024

For the first time ever, I’m paying someone to redo this website. I’ve designed my own websites for over twenty years, and it was time to bring in the pros. Hopefully, it will be done soon, and I can’t wait to share.

I am uncertain how long we will live in BHH, and I am embracing that uncertainty. Nearly every January, I’ve swooped in here in full of plans and projects for the coming months. However, you won’t see a post like that from me in 2024. Instead, you can expect a healthy helping of in-the-moment DIY, my (omg) feelings, and I’ll still be your personal hype squad.

Life will always be 100% unpredictable, and I believe there is real value in plodding forward through the muck of it all anyway. It will break your heart at times, but optimism and hope are my go-tos. I am excited about writing again and doing more of what makes me feel useful to all of you who enjoy BHH and the True Tales From Old Houses podcast.

Happy New Year!