49 and Counting: Finding Alignment in This Chapter

If I had to sum up the first few months of being 49 in one word, it would be alignment. Not because I planned it that way - I said my word for 2025 was Transcendent - but life keeps nudging me—sometimes gently, sometimes not—toward what feels right.

I came into this year with a completely different perspective than what I have today. I thought this would be the year of transcendence, pushing beyond limitations, over-coming all obstacles, excelling, soaring into something new. Instead, I’ve realized that before I can transcend, I have to align. Align with myself, my goals, and the life I actually want—not just the one I’ve been maintaining out of habit.

And let me tell you, alignment is sneaky. It doesn’t always arrive as an aha moment wrapped in clarity. Sometimes, it’s a slow unraveling of what no longer fits. A job that no longer sparks anything. A routine that once felt comforting but now feels restrictive. Even foods I once enjoyed no longer agree with me. It’s as if my body, my mind, and my entire being are whispering, It’s time to shift.

I didn’t expect 49 to feel like such an internal transformation. But here I am, navigating creative surges, financial shifts, and a deep desire for autonomy in every area of my life. It’s equal parts exhilarating and exhausting, but I can already tell—this year is preparing me for something bigger.

The Creative Surge: Riding the Wave

One thing that has taken me by surprise is how relentless my creativity has been. Ever since my solar return, ideas have been pouring in faster than I can capture them. Blog posts, e-books, Substack posts, courses—everything feels connected in a way that it didn’t before. Suddenly I have these ideas and I go from idea to blog post to e book to full blown course in the course of one night. 🤯

I’ve always been an idea person, but this is different. It’s like I unlocked a level-up of clarity that I didn’t even know I needed. It’s exciting, but also a little overwhelming. There’s a fine line between inspiration and burnout, and I can feel myself dancing on it. The challenge now is learning how to pace myself—how to hold onto the ideas without feeling like I have to act on all of them immediately.

But if there’s one thing I’m certain of, it’s this: I’ve never felt more aligned with the work I’m creating. Hey Life Happens isn’t just a blog or a business—it’s an extension of my own growth, and that realization is both powerful and grounding.

The Financial Shift: Reworking the Plan

Money has been another unexpected area of alignment. Big changes are happening here and it is so effortless. Again; the ideas become action steps become a plan. For example, I made the decision to pause my 401k contributions for three months—not because I don’t value saving for the future, but because I realized I needed to focus on right now. Short time loss - long term gain.

With that extra $700 a month, I’m aggressively paying off two debts, and by May, they’ll be gone. That’s huge. Not just financially, but mentally. Clearing those balances will free up $612 a month—a little more than the amount I’ll lose when another income stream ends this summer. It’s like the numbers are aligning themselves, showing me that I’m making the right move.

And once those debts are gone? I get to decide where that money goes next. More savings? More investments? A mix of both? The freedom to choose is the part that excites me most. I have a long term goal and I am in alignment with that goal and with the steps to make it a reality. I can’t WAIT to share that one with you.

The Health Shift: Listening to My Body

If you had told me a few months ago that I’d go gluten-free, dairy-free, Non- GMO and mostly vegetarian, I would’ve been like UMMMM….. Hand me that basket of fish n chips - Not because I didn’t believe in it, but because I didn’t think I’d ever want to make such a big change. No more half & half in my tea? No English Muffins dripping with peanut butter? Nope, I’ll pass.

But here I am. And surprisingly? It hasn’t been that hard.

The biggest revelation isn’t just how much better I feel physically—it’s how much easier it has been to let go of old habits when they no longer serve me. Lower back pain? Gone. Peri-menopause weight? Slipping off. Nails? Rock Hard. There was no internal battle, no sense of deprivation. Just a quiet understanding that my body functions better this way, and that’s enough.

And sure, there have been adjustments (like realizing that some things are best left to the experts—looking at you, overnight oats with chia pudding made with French mascarpone), but overall, this shift feels natural. Like my body had been waiting for me to catch up.

The Self-Care Shift: Choosing Myself

Somewhere in the last couple weeks, I stopped making myself an afterthought.

It started small—more journaling, more meditation…flossing before bed. Ya know, the little things 🤣 Then it grew—better skincare, more intentional choices in how I spend my time and energy. I’ve been more mindful of the skincare products I choose — no longer just grabbing what’s affordable, but finding a balance between affordability, ethics, and effectiveness. The Inkey List and Youth to the People have been my latest picks, and so far, they feel like the right move.

And maybe that’s been the biggest lesson of 49 so far:

Choosing myself doesn’t mean neglecting others. It just means I’m finally treating myself with the same level of importance.

The Letting Go Shift: Releasing What No Longer Fits

Along with all these shifts, I’ve also been letting go.

At the start of the year, I jumped into Threads, thinking it might be a fun, low-pressure way to engage. But now? I don’t feel any reciprocal benefit from it. I don’t feel energized by it. And if there’s one thing I’m learning, it’s this: Just because I can make something work doesn’t mean I should.

And that goes for more than just social media. It applies to projects, commitments, even people. I’m recognizing that I don’t have to force things to fit. If something isn’t bringing me joy, clarity, or meaningful connection, then maybe it’s time to say, “I think we need to have a talk and be honest…”

And that realization has extended beyond just social media.

I’ve also made work changes that were long overdue. For months—since May of 2024—I had been asking for a change, letting my boss know that my workload and responsibilities were no longer sustainable - I’m in finance and my job literally has a ZERO margin for error. No Mistakes. EVER. Mistakes in my job cost millions of dollars. But it wasn’t until I was honest about how it was affecting my mental health—how it was impacting my quality of work and my well-being—that she finally heard me.

And while that change should have come sooner - like when I had a major health scare last year (but that’s a story for another day) - I’m choosing to focus on the win: I advocated for myself. I didn’t just push through and suffer in silence. I set a boundary, I spoke up, and ultimately, I was able to shift things in a way that better supports me.

And that’s what alignment really is, isn’t it? Knowing when to push forward, but also knowing when to let go.

Whether it’s a job, a project, a person, or a social media platform, I’m realizing I don’t have to force things to fit. If something isn’t bringing me joy, clarity, or meaningful connection, or hurting my well being; then maybe it’s time to say, “It’s time to change. NOW.”

What’s Next?

I don’t have all the answers, and I’m learning to be okay with that.

Right now, I’m just letting myself be in this space—of creativity, of change, of slow but steady realignment. I have big things on the horizon (London, e-books, self-care bundles), but I’m also learning that the journey itself is just as important as the destination. This Pluto in Aquarius vs Pluto in Capricorn Energy is different for sure.

So, for now, I’ll keep following the breadcrumbs of alignment, trusting that they’re leading me exactly where I’m meant to go.

And if you’re in a season of change too, I hope you give yourself the grace to follow what feels right—even if you don’t have the full picture yet.

Because sometimes, the best thing we can do is simply trust the shift.

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