This year's Halloween was a delightful treat! For the first time, I had the joy of celebrating the holiday with my sister's three little ones: Skyla (6), Amara (3), and Ryder (1.5). The anticipation leading up to the holiday filled me with a childlike excitement. I could feel the energy in my body, and every thought of the holiday brought forth a giggle reminiscent of my 6-year-old self.

In recent conversations with people around me, such as family, friends, and even random strangers in a café, there is a noticeable unease surrounding this year and what to expect politically, as it's an election year and likely a pretty dramatic-filled one. As I scroll through my various social media feeds, I have observed more and more of the algorithms filling my feed with like-minded posts, which I may not have found on my own. I know how these algorithms work. I know they create this echo chamber of things I want to hear rather than opposing views I might dismiss. But last night, it made me pause and reflect….I have no intention of writing about politics. I am using it as an example of what is in front of many of us. However, the concept of critical thinking in our daily interactions is just as important as using it when faced with the internet's control of what we digitally digest in a day….This also happens to us on an individual level within our own bodies.

A few weeks back, I was sitting with a warm breeze blowing on my face, hinting that the warm breeze was quickly becoming a hot breeze. The forecast indicated it would hit 100 degrees soon. The light wind was rustling through the peach orchard I was surrounded by while I occasionally swatted at gnats landing on my shoulder. The air was hot but clean and fresh, with hints of fresh-cut grass.

Ironically, I have found myself in my own tough transition this past 12-18 months. It might have been one of my life's top 3 most challenging years. And in the spirit of sharing and vulnerability, I wanted to share with you all, especially since being a coach, therapist, or other mental health professional doesn't make you immune to these things.

I kept hearing about our country being in a mental health crisis and it was getting worse. I was, then, personally touched by this crisis five years ago when my boyfriend passed away….