Quiet Reflections As I Step Into Year 47
As someone who is approaching my 47th year on this Earth, I’ll just say this: It’s not just about the cake and the candles and suddenly realizing you’re a year older. For me, it’s a time for reflection. I’ve learned some things—and I’ve made plenty of mistakes along the way. Some mindset shifts I embraced wholeheartedly, while others I eventually released because they no longer aligned with who I was in that season—or who I am now. Living an authentic life doesn’t just appear one day—it’s built through intention, mindset shifts, and discernment in how you walk through the world. This authentic life mindset has helped me shape how I make decisions, trust myself, and choose alignment over expectations.
This post is a gentle reminder that you get to choose your life. You. Minute by minute. Day by day. Year by year.
As I step into this next chapter, I would like to share the mindset choices I made that helped me create my authentic life, which I now wholeheartedly embrace.
The truth is that when you choose to live authentically, you open yourself to a life filled with adventure—both the quiet, everyday moments and the big, life-changing ones. Friend, there is nothing more freeing than living in alignment with who you are and how you choose to live.
Choosing Self-Trust: A Core Mindset for an Authentic Life
The ability to choose self-trust over the approval of others is a muscle that requires consistent effort and evidence.
How Your Brain Tries to Keep You Safe: Holding onto self-trust when your brain tells you differently is harder than most realize. It’s a mindset shift and a rewiring in your brain. Our brains are wired for safety, not growth—which is why self-trust often feels uncomfortable at first.
In fact, our brains do the exact opposite. The primary goal is to protect us from danger. Attempting to do something new puts your brain in a place of danger, so it thinks. Whether it’s learning how to replace and hang a ceiling fan on your own (my next project), or applying for a job that you feel nervous about interviewing for.
Listening to Your Inner Voice
Each new experience comes with its own physical and mindset challenges. If you wait to outline the best and worst possible outcomes, you’ll stay stuck in limbo. The absolute truth is that the majority of people only focus on the worst-case scenarios. I’ve learned to just move. I don’t wait, or overthink, or overanalyze. That’s what your brain wants you to do to give reason not to take that next level risk.
I make a decision, and then I act on that decision.
There’s something freeing about just moving. I don’t focus on the outcome. I remain present to experience whatever it is, full on. Without a doubt, I know I got this. I’ll figure it out as I go along.
Making Decisions That Don’t Make Sense to Others
My decisions are self-led or shared with those who have been where I am working to be or who share the same mindset. I stretch myself beyond my own capabilities. This is how I grow. I use discernment. To those that are not in your circle of growth, they will not understand why you move the way you do. That is OK too. Each person is on their own path. My decisions do not need to make sense to others to be right for me. The same applies to you. Make those decisions that make others wonder what you’re up to next.
Choosing Alignment Over Expectations in an Authentic Life
You were not put on this Earth to live your life revolving around what others would expect or prefer for you – and neither was I.
Money Choices + Health Investments
I’ve learned that not all investments look fabulous on the outside. For some, spending thousands of dollars on a luxury vacation feels like the ultimate reward. And I get that—I love a beautiful getaway too. But over the years, I’ve chosen to invest in myself just as intentionally as I invest in experiences. They go hand-in-hand in life. With good health and money choices, you’re able to live more boldly, bravely, and freely. That’s where the real wealth is, friend.
Those investments have looked like personal trainers, therapy, mentorship, functional medicine, and prioritizing my health—sometimes at a cost equal to (or greater than) a luxury vacation. While these choices don’t always come with ocean views (which I love my ocean views), they create an ROI that is far more valuable: a strong, healthy body, a steady mind, and the capacity to truly enjoy life.
Adventure exists in my world, as you can see here on Adventures Beyond Boundaries. I still have fun and live my best life. I choose different seasons for different things. Simple vacations are just as meaningful when my health and finances feel aligned. The luxury trips bring short-term joy, but good health and wise money choices will carry me long-term. They give me the energy, freedom, and years ahead to experience adventure as much as I desire. That is priceless, friend.
That’s the end game for me.
Saying YES to an Authentic Life Even When Fear Is Loud
I would be lying if I said every adventure I’ve taken didn’t come with some level of fear, doubt, or anxious feelings. As a single woman and mother, fear often rides along as a passenger. But I don’t give it the wheel. Jesus handles that (and if you know, you know). What guides me instead is my self-trust—the quiet knowing that I can handle whatever unfolds. I don’t debate the fear, indulge the doubt, or allow anxious thoughts to stop me from exploring, both on my own and with my young adult children.
This has never been who I am. Life is happening now. I trust myself enough to move even when things feel uncertain and refuse to let fear be the reason I say no to myself. I choose YES—again and again. Buckle up, fear, because here we go… together.
One of my biggest adventures with my kids, and one they still talk about to this day, was our 10-day road trip to Maine. When fear creeps in, or doubt tries to pause a decision, I move—immediately. Movement keeps me aligned. It quiets the worry, replenishes my energy, and reminds me that living fully is the best medicine I know.
Choosing Joy as Part of an Authentic Life Mindset
There was a time when I felt the only way to really experience joy or to feel happy was to have the tree with money falling off of it in my big front yard with my oversized home to accommodate guests, and all that comes with living the big life. To some, this is everything to them, and that is OK too. We each have our own versions of what brings us joy, and none of them are right or wrong. But for me, this was not where my real joy comes from.
I paved the path of my joy-filled life through inner work and mentorship that helped me align my life to what fits me best, not my neighbor. It may be abstract to some, dull to others, and simple to another crowd of onlookers. But the real joy, friend, comes from finding what lights your soul on fire and following that path.
Do not stray from your true self. You are the light. You create the joy.
What Joy Looks Like For Me
I look through a much different lens these days. One filled with simple mornings sipping on my coffee, North beside me, and journaling how I choose to show up for myself in each day. I embrace the birds singing in the trees as I walk with North (ok, so maybe this comes with age, hah). I love the quiet evenings when my 16-year-old daughter (still) wants to sit with me and share some movie time.
Spontaneously booking a weekend getaway or hike is liberating in the most abundant way. I love sitting here writing and sharing my adventures with others who can relate or desire to lead their life on their terms. This is the most freeing feeling. To just live, laugh, and be present and authentic on my terms. It’s not the luxury life I thought I needed; it’s even better! I will always choose joy, over and over again.
My Invitation To You
As I step into year 47, I am choosing to continue living by these mindset choices. Some will come easier than others, but all of them are held close to my soul. Over the last several years, I’ve learned what it means to truly shift my mindset and how I show up in this world—and in doing so, I’ve given myself permission to simply be. And so can you.
If any of these reflections speak to you, I invite you to take even just one with you into your year. Let it guide you toward a life lived more authentically, intentionally, and full of adventure. This is what living in alignment can create—room for meaningful adventures with many more still to come.
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