Finding My Rhythm

This time change is messing with me a little.

Charlie is up at 7 a.m. sharp, full of energy and ready to go — which for my Minnesota body is 6 a.m. I’ve always had this idea that I wanted to be someone who gets up “early” and starts the day with intention… so I guess here we are.

We started the day at the gym. I got in a solid workout, felt strong, felt awake, and then headed to the salon for my first day at J. Bauman. Charlie came with me on all my adventures today — it’s a little cold out, so it actually worked perfectly.

Also — it was 60 degrees today, which somehow felt way colder than 60 😂 Bring on the warmth.

At the gym, I met a woman in the locker room who lives in the exact neighborhood I’ve been looking at for a rental. I’m choosing to take that as a sign that I’ll find a place and it will all work out the way it’s supposed to.

My first day at the salon was really good. The women are wonderful — all my age or older, grounded, kind, and real. The owner came in to make sure I was all set up and to check in. He’s awesome — really chill — and we even ended up talking about peptides. He’s been hearing a lot about them and is thinking about trying some for his shoulder, which felt like such a funny full-circle moment for me. New city, new salon… same passions finding their way into the conversation.

I didn’t have any clients today, and honestly, that felt perfect. It gave me space to get a feel for the place, the energy, the people, and the flow — to just land instead of perform.

At one point I mentioned that Charlie was waiting in the car, and Jes (the owner) immediately said, “Oh no — bring him inside! We love dogs. Clients love dogs.” So Charlie ended up hanging out in the salon with me most of the day, which made it feel even more welcoming and human.

The day ended quietly and sweetly — back on the pool deck with a fire, dinner, and Charlie and Buddy hanging out beside me.

It feels like the beginning of something really good.

Not rushed.

Not forced.

Just gently unfolding.

And I’m really grateful to be here

The Stillness Before the Storm (the Good Kind)

Today was a really chill day — the kind of day that feels like a deep breath before everything truly begins.

I started it at Iron Religion with a workout, and then ended up staying there most of the day working on the Trident website. It felt grounding to be in a space built for strength and discipline while also building something digital and long-term in the background. I was aware all day that this was my last true “off” day before life here officially starts, and I really let myself enjoy that.

The evening was simple and quiet. I sat outside on the pool deck with a fire (because apparently 60 degrees is considered cold here — yuck 😅), laptop open, still working on my website, researching where to get Charlie’s food locally, and making an appointment at Daly Chiropractic. That turned into some social time with Calla, which I’m realizing is something I need just as much as movement or productivity.

Tomorrow it all starts.

I begin at J. Bauman Salon. I start actively looking for a house to rent. I start making deeper connections in the community to grow Trident here. I start planting roots instead of just passing through.

I didn’t even realize tomorrow is New Year’s Eve until my new boss casually said I could probably leave early because it would be dead due to the holiday. That’s when it hit me — oh yeah… it’s the end of the year and the beginning of a whole new chapter.

One of the coolest moments today was when someone at Iron Religion walked up to me and said, “Where have you been? We were wondering what happened to you.” I explained I finally moved, and he asked how the peptide business was going and said he was glad to see me back at the gym. It’s wild how even a short amount of time in a place can build real relationships. That moment reminded me that I’m not invisible here — I’m already part of something.

Yesterday at Kissimmee Muscle, the owner looked at my license, saw Minnesota, laughed, and immediately started teasing me about everything going on there. “Good thing you left and moved here — that place is a mess.”
Yeah… I know. I’m hopeful it all gets cleaned up with time. But it did feel affirming in a strange way — like this move isn’t just emotional or intuitive, it’s also practical. This really is the right place for the next phase of my life and business.

I love it here. I feel it in my body.

And… I also feel the grief. I miss my daughter. I miss my friends. I miss my clients. I miss the familiarity of people who know my face, my voice, my rhythms. But I also know — deeply — that I’m exactly where I need to be.

I am so profoundly grateful that I’m staying with Calla and Ed. I truly cannot imagine making a move like this and being alone. I already feel lonely sometimes while living in a house with people I really like — I can’t imagine doing this completely solo. I’m only four days in and I already crave hugs and long conversations with people who know me.

Everyone said that would be the hardest part. They were right.

Thankfully, we have voice messages. I get to hear people’s voices. We probably send 20 a day, and it has been such a bridge for my heart while my life rearranges itself.

This season feels like a delicate mix of courage and vulnerability, ambition and tenderness, expansion and homesickness. I’m building something new while grieving what I left — and I think that’s exactly what growth feels like.

Tomorrow, the work begins.
The roots go in.
The next chapter opens.

And I’m ready 🤍

It was so cold - I had a fire, a blanket, and layers, and I was still cold!

Charlie is loving this big backyard. He was so tired from running all day that he cried to go inside at like 6:30 and jumped into bed and passed out ( he’s still passed out)

Sunshine, Muscles & Much-Needed Stillness

Charlie and I both slept like rocks last night.

We woke up around 7 and hit the ground running. Charlie and Buddy ran around and played while I got myself ready for the gym. I checked out a place called Kissimmee Muscle — an old-school bodybuilding gym. It was great… but they had the heat on. 😂 It’s 80 degrees outside — why is the heat on?!

The rest of the day was intentionally… not much.

I planted myself in the sun by the pool and rested and tanned for about three hours. I really needed the downtime after four days of nonstop movement and minimal sleep. It felt so good to just be still and let my system reset.

Also… my plants barely survived the move 😅🌱 — but I’ll bring them back. They’re resilient, just like this whole transition. After that, Charlie, Buddy, and I hung out by the pool and completely rebuilt the Trident page on our website. There’s still more to do, but it’s a solid start — and it felt really good to get that refreshed and aligned.

That brought me into a Zoom meditation led by Jordan — a beautiful way to close out the day and come back into myself.

That’s all, folks.
A day well spent. 🌞🙏

Day 2 — Finding Our Rhythm

Charlie was up most of the night. His bowels are a little off with all the change and instability, so neither of us slept great — but that’s part of the transition and I know he’ll settle soon.

Our day started early at 7 a.m. I took care of both dogs, got everyone fed and settled, and we were on the road by 7:30 to meet the U-Haul at the storage unit. My friend Chris drove it down for me (absolute lifesaver), and we unloaded everything quickly before heading to the house to unpack just what I needed right away.

We spent about an hour organizing, setting up the essentials, and putting Charlie’s new kennel together so he had his own familiar space. Then we headed back out — returned the U-Haul, and brought the extra things back to the storage unit. That took us until about 3:00 p.m., when I dropped Chris off at the airport.

After that I found a car wash and gave my poor car a much-needed cleaning — it felt so good to have that done — and then headed to the gym.

It’s 82 degrees and sunny here, and I couldn’t waste that kind of weather. I walked around outside for a bit, soaking in the sun and the warmth, letting my nervous system finally exhale before going in for a much-needed workout.

(More after the gym…)

The evening ended quietly and perfectly — dinner by the pool while the dogs ran around, happy and free.

This weather is almost ideal. Around 80 degrees during the day and about 65 at night. If I’m being honest, my personal perfect weather would be 90 during the day and 65 at night — but this is pretty close, and I’m not complaining.

That’s about all I have to report for today.

Tomorrow is my last day to relax before it’s time to get to work and settle into a new routine.

And that feels really good.

🌴 Day One in Florida — Trust, Sunshine, and Figuring It Out

After a night of solid sleep — 8 hours in my car — I slept like a rock.
Windows cracked, fresh air, full Florida vibe already.

The day started with a walk around the welcome center, then we hit the road to finish out the last 2.5 hours to our destination.

The drive was glorious. 70 degrees, sun shining, windows open!

We arrived and our host family welcomed us right in. We introduced the dogs (they did great), chatted, and went over all the important house details. I got unpacked, put my swimsuit on, and found myself a spot in the sun to relax for a bit.

Charlie immediately lost his mind (in the best way) over the big open yard. Full-speed zoomies. Dirt flying. Tail helicoptering. He ran like he had just been released back into his natural habitat 😂

Then he noticed the pool… and froze. Stared at it. Walked around it. Stared again. Very clearly trying to decide if it was a giant luxury water bowl or some kind of Florida trap. I’m about 90% sure he’s going to jump in tomorrow just to find out. He was so happy, so free, living his absolute best dog life.

After a moment of actually slowing down, I unpacked more, gathered my things, and hit the road to get to Iron Religion for a workout.

The U-Haul still hadn’t arrived and I didn’t bring gym clothes, so I stopped at Ross and grabbed a few things — definitely didn’t try anything on and it’s all too big 😂 — but regardless, I crushed a workout.

After that I ran to Whole Foods (I hadn’t eaten in two days), then headed back to the house to tend to the dogs, eat, and relax by the pool with my journal and computer to get some peptide orders prepped for shipping.

And here’s the part I haven’t said out loud yet…

As I crossed the state line at 11:30pm last night, I wondered if I made a mistake.
What did I do?
Am I going to be okay?
How am I going to afford to eat and live?

Then I woke up this morning to the Florida sunshine and the Florida air… and I just cried. Because I love it here so much.

So much that I will somehow figure it out. 🤍

welcome to florida!

This place was PACKED!

I really wanted to push him in

Christmas, In Between

It’s my first Christmas without my dad.

To be honest — it still sucks. I miss him so much.

There’s no poetic way to wrap that up. There’s just the quiet ache of him not being here, and the moments where you instinctively think you’ll see his name light up your phone or hear his voice in your head… and then you remember.

And still — this Christmas felt like standing in between worlds.

Between what was.

Between what’s ending.

Between what’s beginning.

As tradition, my daughter and I worked out together Christmas morning. Same ritual. Same sweat. Same smiles. We took our usual gym photos — not because we “have to,” but because it’s one of the ways we mark time together. One of the ways we say: we’re still here, we’re still moving, we’re still choosing strength.

After that, we had Christmas lunch with my mom and stepdad at my house.

Simple. Quiet. Full of warmth.

Then it was time.

Finished loading the U-Haul.

Packed up my car.

Did one last slow walk through the house to make sure I had everything.

That walk hits different when you know it’s the last time.

But it also holds a strange kind of beauty — a moment to honor what was, before stepping into what’s next.

Every room holds echoes. Every corner carries a version of you that lived there once. So I walked slowly. I breathed it in. I said thank you to the walls, to the years, to the growth, to the pain, to the healing.

There were a lot of hugs.

A few tears.

And a lot of “see you in a month in Florida” — because they’re all coming to visit in February.

So we’re not doing goodbyes.

Just gentle see-you-soons.

Florida is waiting. A new chapter is opening. Sunshine, ocean air, fresh routines, new rhythms. I don’t know exactly what it will look like yet — but I know it will be good. I know it will be alive. And I know I’m ready.

I’m bringing my dad with me — in my heart, in my strength, in the parts of me he helped shape. I’m bringing this family with me. I’m bringing every version of myself that got me here.

Today wasn’t joyful in the traditional sense.

But it was meaningful.

And it was loving.

And it was full.

And that counts

Matching tattoo’s (memory of my dad/grandpa Warren)

Christmas on the Road:

I left Minnesota on Christmas Day around 3 PM, with the car packed up and my 95-pound black lab, Charlie, as my road trip buddy. It’s always been my dream to head south, and we set off full of excitement. We made it all the way past Wisconsin before needing to stop for gas and to let Charlie stretch his legs.

As night fell around 10 PM, we found a rest stop. Charlie had another good run, and we settled in to sleep right in the car. I was listening to a rain meditation on YouTube to relax, which is why my phone ended up dying overnight. That gave my parents a bit of a scare in the morning when they couldn’t reach me and thought something might have happened!

Charlie, despite being a big boy and a pretty intimidating black lab, was the perfect guard dog. He growled and barked at every car and passerby, making sure we were safe through the night. In the morning, he had a blast running around the truck stop again. We both got ready quickly and hit the road by 7:30 AM. Now we’re rolling along with about thirteen and a half hours to go, and Charlie’s having the time of his life—no whining, just pure adventure.

I can’t think of a better way to start this next chapter. Stay tuned for more updates as we make our way to sunny Florida!

A House in Transition

There’s something incredibly tender about watching a home change hands.

Today the upstairs is being painted.

My things are packed into a U-Haul.

And my daughter — with her cousin beside her — is brushing color onto the walls that used to hold my life.

It’s no longer my space.

It’s becoming her sanctuary.

Twelve years ago, this house was a dream my dad helped me make real. He walked beside me through the process of buying it — encouraging me, supporting me, helping me believe it was possible. My mom and my stepdad poured their time, energy, and love into this place too. We all did. This house was built not just with money and labor, but with care, family, and intention.

And now that same house is becoming the place where my daughter gets to grow into herself as a young adult.

That fills me with a deep, quiet joy.

What used to be my bedroom, my quiet place, my thinking place… is being transformed into a retreat for a young woman who is stepping into her own chapter. And instead of feeling sad about it, I feel peaceful. Like the house itself is exhaling and saying, yes — this is right.

This season is full of endings and beginnings layered on top of each other.

I’m moving into something new.

She’s rooting into something new.

And the house is the bridge between us.

Watching her paint the walls feels symbolic — like she’s not just changing a room, she’s claiming her place in the world. Making space for who she’s becoming, while I make space for who I’m becoming next.

There’s gratitude in this. And tenderness. And a lot of love folded into the middle of it all.

Homes aren’t just structures — they’re containers for phases of life.

And this one is being lovingly passed from one generation to the next, brushstroke by brushstroke. ❤️

Marked by Miles

Many Hands, New Beginnings

As a good friend once said, many hands make easy work.

With my family of ten people, we loaded the U-Haul in about 45 minutes. Everyone stepped in and worked together quickly and efficiently. What could have felt overwhelming was actually very simple when shared.

I also overestimated how much I had. We finished early and still had extra space in the truck. That felt quietly reassuring — a reminder that this move isn’t about taking everything with me, but about making space for what’s next.

There were goodbyes, of course. Not dramatic ones — just the natural kind that come with change. The kind that acknowledge a chapter closing and another beginning.

This move is more than a change of location. It’s a change in how I’m living and working.

I’m 41, which means I’m not slowing down — I’m building. I’ll be continuing to grow Trident in Florida, and I’ll also be building a healing business through MMS Orlando. This move gives me the space and environment to do that in a way that feels sustainable and aligned.

For a long time, much of my life has been about responsibility — raising my daughter, building my businesses, supporting clients, and being there for family and community. That still matters deeply to me. But now there’s also room for expansion, creativity, and choosing more intentionally what I want this next phase of life to look like.

Charlie and I leave tomorrow.

We’re heading toward warmth, ocean air, and a place that supports the next chapter of our lives — not as an escape, but as a natural next step.

This blog is a place for me to share that process with you — the changes, the growth, and what life looks like as it unfolds.

If you’re here reading this, thank you for being part of my life and this journey 🤍