Category: about me

minimalist room with chair

My Word for 2025: LESS

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Last year was a big year for me – I set a lot of goals for myself and accomplished a lot.

Disneyland half marathon 2024 medals


I ran my first half marathon last year, and I loved the challenge so much that I ran a second one before the year was up!


I decided to try out for a play at one of our local theaters, and I landed a role in a production that was extremely meaningful and powerful and I was super proud to be part of it!


My husband and I had the joy of visiting friends in South Korea and seeing the sights in Seoul and Busan!


I went to the Eras Tour in New Orleans!!!

All in all, it was objectively a pretty awesome year!

Part of why I was so motivated to go all carpe diem last year was because I had been in such a funk over infertility, and I wanted to look back on 2024 and say, “that was a great year!” I recognized that (in part because I don’t have more than one child) I had the opportunity, time, and resources to do more things, and I wanted to capitalize on that.

As 2025 rolled around, and I thought about what I wanted my year to look like, I felt myself leaning in the opposite direction. At one of my recent therapy sessions, I told my counselor that I had been putting pressure on myself to do more and achieve more, simply because I “only” had one child. Like I owed it to myself and the world to do big things… While that is not a bad thing to aspire to, my therapist said something that has stuck with me: “you don’t have to try to earn your worth – you can just be.”

While I wouldn’t trade last year for anything, I do think a part of me may have been trying to prove something to myself and others… even if it was only subconsciously.

All that to say, there are seasons to life. Last year was a season of doing more, and now I want to be in a season of doing LESS.

As I began to think more about the idea of “less,” I initially thought about things I could give up doing: like doom scrolling on social media or watching t.v.

But it became less about that (pardon the pun!) and more about slowing down my pace of life and not needing to “do” anything to feel worthy of taking up space.

I thought about simple things I wanted to make more time for – like reading books, taking my dog Oliver out for walks, and cooking one meal a week for my family. I wanted to have more lazy Saturdays where we wake up and have zero plans for the day, and I can just enjoy being in my home with a nice-smelling candle and a warm cup of coffee, cuddled up next to the people (and animals) I love.

I want to have more margin in my life – to not worry about missing out on fun activities that I “should” be doing… especially when I’m so run down that the activities aren’t even fun anymore.

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pineapples, one with sunglasses

My Word for 2024: UNABASHED

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The Grammys happened a few days ago, and while I didn’t follow it super closely, I was curious to see who the winners were. Miley Cyrus won her first ever Grammy for her song, “Flowers.” (I am so unhip, I still have not actually listened to that song… but now I probably will.) This was a huge night for Miley, but you know what most people ended up focusing on? Making fun of her hairstyle. Now Miley is no stranger to unique fashion styles, and she frequently gets a lot of flack for it. But instead of changing herself to avoid criticism, she seems to lean even more into emphasizing her uniqueness. And you know what? I admire that.

As I began thinking about my word for 2024, and what kinds of things I wanted to accomplish this upcoming year, one word kept coming to my mind:

UNABASHED

def. “not embarrassed, disconcerted, or ashamed”
“boldly certain of one’s position”

synonyms: unapologetic, confident, proud


Merriam-Webster and Dictionary.com

I chose this word for a few reasons. Over the last year I realized that there was a big part of me that was just trying to “fit in.” I didn’t want to be different, I wanted to blend in with the crowd, and be “like everybody else.”

Isn’t that embarrassing to admit? I thought I was beyond worrying about “being cool” since I’m in my late 30s, but obviously I wasn’t!

Last year I also began noticing people who were unapologetically themselves, and they seemed so happy. It began with my son’s ballet teacher. She does cosplay, and goes ALL OUT for her costumes! It seems like every week, her hair is dyed a different color. She has anime tattoos from her favorite anime show… oh, and she also doesn’t shave her armpits, and totally does not care! After taking my son to ballet week after week, I found myself thinking, “I want to be like her.”

The last 3 years were difficult ones for me – I had been going through grief and depression over infertility, which led to me dealing with a faith crisis and a lot of anger. Honestly, I didn’t feel like myself – or maybe I had forgotten who I really was. I finally just decided I was tired of feeling that way. I wanted to do things that made me happy, and some of those things are probably “weird,” but I didn’t want to feel ashamed about that.

This year, I want to not only accept that I may be unique and weird, I want to relish in that knowledge! I want others to see me, and to be inspired to love themselves as they are.

I want my son to know he does not need to “fit in” or try to be someone he’s not. And I know the most powerful way to get that across, is to be an example of that myself.

Will I risk being made fun of or getting criticized? Of course! That’s why it’s so hard to truly embrace yourself. Some people will love you for it, and some will hate you for it. Just ask Miley 🙂

"on the road to healing"

July 26th – 7 Years of Slow and Steady Healing

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I almost forgot that today is July 26th – today used to be a day I dreaded, the anniversary of when I was admitted to the hospital for postpartum depression. I didn’t even register that today was a significant anniversary until I saw a Facebook memories post from 2 years ago when a friend had sent me flowers. I honestly don’t even think I would have remembered otherwise.

I take this as a good sign, a sign of healing. In one sense, 7 years is a long time. But in another sense, I feel good about the fact that in just 7 years, I’ve been able to process a very traumatic event and move past it. I’ve accepted it as part of my story, I’ve recognized how it has made me stronger and more empathetic to the struggle of others. It is a moment on my journey of life that has made me a better person.

July 26th is also the day that I started this blog – 6 years ago today, one year after experiencing postpartum depression, I created Threads of Anxiety. Sometimes I’m a little hit-or-miss as far as writing and publishing posts, but it’s been something I’ve enjoyed doing, I think it’s helped me become a better writer, and it’s certainly helped me process through some difficult events. In a way, writing is magic, it unlocks thoughts that you didn’t even know you had.

Blogging has also allowed me an avenue to share my story, which has been a huge part of my journey to healing.

Healing doesn’t mean that I’ve forgotten the traumatic event, or that it doesn’t hurt a little to think about it. And healing doesn’t mean that I’m “back to my old self.” I’ve been forever changed. But it does mean that I’m moving forward and owning my story, and I’m so thankful to be where I am today.

I don’t know that I could have healed in isolation. There are so many people who have helped me along the way – therapists, my husband, friends, and family. There are people who have reached out to me after reading my blog just to say thanks for sharing it. Others have come up to me to tell me that they, too, were hospitalized for postpartum depression – I realized over and over again that I was not alone in my struggle.

To wrap up, I just want to take a moment to look July 26th in the eye and say, as Jennifer Connelly does in the movie Labyrinth…

You have no power over me.