I just made a cup of tea and whew, it is delicious. But hi. Oh my goodness. Welcome back to the blog — and if you’re new here — heyy!

These last two weeks have been a whirlwind. I’ve been gearing up for the event we just hosted at Ripple Café in Dorchester, Massachusetts (aka Boston!). But last week… I got into a car accident. And something in me shifted.

There is something about almost dying that forces you to sit still and whisper to yourself:

“What am I actually doing with my life?”

And for the first time, I wasn’t ashamed of the answer.

I realized I actually love the journey I’m on.

So today, I want to share how I got here — how I learned to listen to myself — and why it’s so crucial to understand the pace you’re moving at. Because so many of us spend years just going through the motions, taking steps we never stopped long enough to question.

I’m grateful for my life because…I walked away.

The hospital was scary.

The headache, the light sensitivity, the fear — all real.

But I got to rest. And that changed me.

Last week I was home recovering, cooking Thanksgiving dinner, and realizing it’s been years since I’ve spent the holiday with my family.

But even in their absence, I felt full. Full because of community. Because I had people to call. People to come sit with me. People to check on me.

There was a time I didn’t have anyone to call.

That’s why this moment — this life I’m living — is exactly what I prayed for.

And I want to know: has anyone else felt this 2025 realization?

That quiet inner shift where you realize you don’t want to keep rushing through your life?

Shift direction.

Become intentional again.

There’s something so beautiful about intention — because the minute you stop being intentional, time starts to blur. And blurs turn into years. And suddenly you don’t know what you lived through or what you simply survived.

Did I want to be in an accident? No.

But since I was, I take time more seriously now.

I’m routine by nature, but this forced stillness reminded me:

how I view life, how I breathe, how I want to move —

all of that is sacred.

So here are three questions for you this week:

Where do you need to slow down?

What is causing you to rush?

Who are you living for right now?

We’re approaching the end of the year — that moment where everyone starts shouting, “Push through! Hustle to the finish line!” But I don’t want you to just push. I want you to live.

Blurred years are not your portion. You deserve clarity, presence, joy, and intention.

And remember:

It shouldn’t take a life-threatening moment to wake us up.

We have the power to pivot whenever we choose.

If you haven’t already this week, I really want to encourage you to write down those questions. Sit with them. Let them guide you.

A few life updates before I go — I’m reading Principles by Ray Dalio (that’s the Ray!), and I just finished Before the Coffee Gets Cold — such a beautiful collection of stories. This month I’m diving into a romance-mystery (because why not?).

And honestly, I’m learning I need something to settle my mind in the evenings. Usually it’s writing, but lately I’ve been craving something new — maybe puzzles, maybe thrillers, maybe both.

Let me know what y’all are up to.

And I’ll see you in the next blog.

From my writing corner with love,

Teish