handcraftedadventure 
I Didn’t Start Lifting to Get Fit—It Was About Keeping Up When I went back to school in my 50s to start a new career in healthcare, I wasn’t worried about tests or textbooks. I was worried about the physical part—being on my feet all day in clinicals, helping patients, and keeping up with the … Read more
Looking for Sunshine & Slowness In the middle of a St. Louis winter—gray skies, heavy coats, and the dull thrum of routine—we booked a beach trip on impulse. We didn’t know much about Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, except that it looked charming, it wasn’t a huge tourist trap, and it was close enough for Sam’s online friends to … Read more
What a chaotic move, a surprise surgery, and starting over taught me about how to reset your life when everything feels off track For a long time, selling our house was on our list. Not just a “someday” idea—but something we kept circling back to. We’d prepared for it. Tried. Twice. But each time, something … Read more
Some of the most unforgettable travel moments I’ve had didn’t happen at top-rated attractions or in front of famous landmarks. They happened in small shops, on sidewalks, and during ordinary moments that didn’t look like much at the time—but stuck with me. Traveling with heart means going beyond the itinerary. It means not just visiting, … Read more
We love to romanticize growth—new goals, fresh starts, reinventing ourselves. But here’s the part we don’t talk about enough: Growth doesn’t feel good while it’s happening. It’s awkward. It’s uncomfortable. Sometimes it’s downright painful. Whether you’re shifting careers, trying to build healthier routines, saying no to old patterns, or learning how to speak up for … Read more
This isn’t a reset. It’s a recalibration. At some point in the chaos—between work, stress, travel, and trying to keep the fridge from turning into a science experiment—I realized my health routines had completely slipped. It wasn’t a dramatic collapse. It was subtle.Meal prep? Skipped.Workouts? Inconsistent.Dinner? Roast beef… standing at the kitchen counter… again. And … Read more
We love the polished version of reinvention. The one with glowing transformation photos, clean slates, clear routines, and everything falling into place like a well-scripted movie montage. But if I’ve learned anything lately, it’s this: real growth is rarely that clean—and never that simple. This past season? It’s been full of stress, transition, and unexpected … Read more
May 2025 Edition This month’s list is a blend of grit, mindset, focus, and meaning — with a couple books that helped me push through during school and clinicals. Some of these are intense, others reflective, but all of them left a lasting mark. If you’re trying to stay on track, deepen your thinking, or … Read more
Real-life lessons from the chaos, plus what I’ll be doing differently next time. Moving isn’t just exhausting—it’s a full-blown adventure in chaos. We’re still deep in the aftermath of one, and I’ve learned some moving tips the hard way. If you’re planning your own move, these are the lessons I wish I’d followed from the … Read more
You don’t always get a dramatic wake-up call. Sometimes you just wake up one day and realize:This life works… but it no longer fits. That quiet tension? That’s a crossroads. And if you’re here, wondering how to reinvent your life at a crossroads — even when you’re scared to let go — you’re not alone. … Read more