Welcome back to Soft Days Collective, friend. Come in, take a deep breath, grab your favorite caffeinated beverage, and settle in for a while.
With yet another blizzard swirling outside here on the North Shore, I decided it was the perfect cozy morning to slow down and do some gentle reflecting. The snow is blowing sideways beyond the windows, but inside it feels calm and quiet. My diffuser is softly misting a blend of patchouli and forest resins, and one of my favorite playlists is humming in the background. Moments like this invite reflection. When the world outside feels wild and wintry, it becomes easier to turn inward.
Today I wanted to write about a few moments that helped shape who I am. Not the big flashy milestones that everyone expects, but the quiet glimmers. The small experiences that slipped into my life without much noise but planted seeds that slowly grew over time. In the moment they felt ordinary. Looking back now, I can see how much they influenced the person I am still becoming.
Tough Love
There is a person in my life who has had one of the biggest impacts on my professional path, and it just so happens to be the childcare director I had growing up.
I first walked through those doors as a child, learning and exploring like any other kid. Years later, I found myself back in that same building as a teenager, and eventually as a young adult working under her leadership. Life has a funny way of bringing things full circle like that.
This wonderfully old-school yet deeply kind individual taught me the value of tough love. Not the harsh kind, but the kind that comes from a place of genuine care and respect. The kind that says, “I believe you can do better,” and then holds you accountable to that belief.
Through her guidance, I learned about expectations, responsibility, and the importance of boundaries. I learned that respect flows both ways and that people rise when they are trusted to meet clear expectations.
Was I the easiest child or employee? Absolutely not. But those lessons stuck with me in ways I could not fully understand at the time.
Looking back now, I can see how much those early experiences shaped the educator I am today. In my own classroom, I strive to create equitable relationships with my students while still holding firm and loving boundaries. Kids thrive when they know where the edges are. They thrive when they feel both supported and challenged.
Those years of tough love planted seeds that continue to guide how I show up for the children I teach every single day.
Inner Leader
Another moment that deeply impacted me started with a completely unexpected phone call in 2015.
A former RYLA camp director reached out to ask if I would be willing to serve as a camp assistant. The catch was that the camp was opening in only five days.
The year before, I had attended as a camper. I had not formally applied to return as staff, and honestly, it had not even crossed my mind. Yet there I was, suddenly being invited back into this incredible space with barely any time to think it over.
Something in my gut told me to say yes.
That one simple decision turned into a journey that has now lasted more than ten years. What began as a last-minute opportunity slowly grew into something deeply meaningful in my life. Each summer brings new campers, new stories, and new connections, but it also reconnects me with lifelong friendships.
RYLA focuses on inspiring servant leadership in young people, but over the years, it has quietly continued to teach me just as much about myself. Every season brings new lessons about authenticity, vulnerability, and what it truly means to lead.
Leadership, I have learned, is not about being the loudest voice in the room. It is about listening, guiding, and showing up with integrity.
That leap of faith all those years ago allowed me to grow into a more confident and authentic version of myself. It also gave me a space to practice servant leadership not only at camp, but in my classroom and everyday life.
Sometimes the moments that shape us start with something as simple as answering the phone.
Quiet Growth
A few years ago, I decided to dip my toes into the world of Sister Circles. At the time, I did not fully understand what I was stepping into. I just felt a quiet pull to try something new.
Little did I know that I was about to experience a shift that would gently guide me toward deeper self-understanding.
Sitting in a circle with other women created a space unlike anything I had experienced before. There was wisdom in the room, but also vulnerability. There was laughter, storytelling, reflection, and sometimes tears.
Through the many circles I have attended, I have slowly identified, unpacked, and healed pieces of myself that had been tucked away for a long time. The parts that felt messy or complicated. The dark and twisty pieces that most of us quietly carry.
There is something incredibly powerful about being witnessed in your growth. About sharing space with women who hold compassion and encouragement for one another through every season of life.
That sense of community became deeply healing for me. In many ways, it helped inspire the creation of Soft Days Collective. I wanted to create a space where reflection, gentleness, and personal growth could live side by side. A place where we could honor the idea that becoming softer in the world does not mean becoming smaller.
Looking back, that first evening in the circle feels like a quiet universal nudge. A whisper that said it was time to begin a deeper journey inward.
And for that nudge, I will always be grateful.
Closing Reflection
These are just a few of the small moments that have shaped me over the years. None of them were grand or dramatic while they were happening. They were simply experiences unfolding in real time, planting seeds that would grow slowly and quietly.
These days, my goal is to stay present and continue practicing mindfulness as I move through life. Some days, that practice feels easy and natural. Other days require a little more patience and grace.
But the beautiful thing about reflection is that it reminds us how far we have already come.
Perhaps soon I will sit down again with an iced cup of coffee, a softly humming playlist, and the sound of North Shore wind outside the windows. When I do, I hope to uncover even more of those small moments that shaped the person I am becoming.
I wanted to attach a song that I feel really fits this tender post. Let me know your thoughts if the vibe fits!
Until next time,
Stay soft, stay curious, and take gentle care of yourself.