• A collage-style image showing a woman surrounded by symbols of hardship and transition, including medical monitors, job loss paperwork, housing uncertainty, a damaged car, a new vehicle, family imagery, and signs of hope marking the start of a new year.
    Personal Reflections

    Starting Over in 2026: Tired, Hopeful, and Still Standing

    January 1, 2026 /

    Starting Over in 2026 If I’m being honest, starting over in 2026 feels less like a fresh start and more like dragging myself across the finish line with one shoe missing. 2025 was brutal. In August, we lost our home. Not “downsized” or “moved on purpose.” Lost. We ended up in my partner’s mom’s boyfriend’s basement, which sounds temporary and harmless until you live it. It was toxic. Constant tension. Drama that clung to the walls. The kind of environment where you never really exhale. About a week later, I landed in the Emergency Room with chest pain. What I thought was anxiety turned into a three day hospital stay…

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