10/11/2026
If I could go back to 2019 and sit down with the woman I was in this picture, I wonder what I would tell her. ❤️
This picture was taken in NYC, with the Statue of Liberty in the background. 🗽
I had NO IDEA what was coming my way.
None of us knew a worldwide pandemic would turn our lives upside down. None of us knew just how much life could change in a few short years.
As a mom, you get used to putting everyone else first. You give, you show up, you take care of things.
And then life handed me another role I never could have fully prepared for. Caregiver to my mom.
There are parts of that season I don’t talk about much. Caregiving was the hardest job I’ve ever had, but loving my mom through it was one of the greatest acts of love I’ve ever known. ❤️
This month marks three years since my mom peacefully passed away. Three years already. I still can’t believe it.
And somewhere in those years, I was also navigating menopause, a toxic work environment, and an empty nest.
My MADe season. 💜
Looking at the woman on the left, I wish I could tell her that even when life feels overwhelming, she will find her way through.
And looking at the woman on the right, I see her.
Still standing. Still growing. Still learning. Still finding joy.
But most importantly, learning that taking care of ME isn’t selfish. It’s necessary. 💙
For so long, I poured into everyone else. Now I’m learning to make myself a priority, too.
If you’re in a season where you barely recognize the woman looking back at you in the mirror, please know this:
Your story isn’t over. You are allowed to start taking care of yourself, too. You are allowed to find YOU again. 🦋
And if I could tell that 2019 version of me just one thing, it would be this:
You have no idea how strong you are. And one day, you’ll be proud of how far you’ve come. ❤️
