One of my favorite high school mentors posts three guiding principles on LinkedIn at the start of the new year. This man is such an inspiration because he motivated me to pick the university I attended, married the love of his life against all odds, and he and his husband recently adopted their first child together. I wanted to challenge myself, do some reflecting, and chose my own three guiding words – or mantras – for the year.
Detaching
Letting go of past hurt. Not feeling like a burden to others. Continuously healing from past trauma. Lessening the heavy blow on my heart. Looking back quickly rather than mulling over the past. Putting myself first so I can be better for the ones I love most. The true art of letting go — and creating space for current and new memories.
Healthiness
Physical, mental and emotional healthiness. Continuing with dance, therapy and other exercises. Progressing with setting healthy boundaries and radically accepting where certain family and friend relationships stand. Stretching every day (when possible) and pushing myself with dance classes. Learning to make working out fun again. Pushing myself to get back into music and French lessons for mental health and “gymnastics.”
Adventure
(Although I’ve never “not been adventurous”) 😉
Going white water rafting in Georgia. Putting myself out there in dance and elsewhere. Visiting at least one new country with Alex this year. Taking more career risks and discovering my true passion(s). Feeling a true sense of adventure in my heart.
What are your mantras for 2024?✨
Traveling with the Traceys 
Cate, your recent post stirred something deep within me, taking me back to a piece I penned in 2016 about the art of letting go, which I revisited in 2022. I vividly recall writing, “The circus ropes of my childhood became the ties that bind me to my past, and the ties that would never let me go.” It’s now 2024, and I’ve come to the resolute decision that it’s time for me to let things go.
Like so many, I’ve had my own share of trauma. I believe everyone endures traumatic experiences during their formative years, to varying degrees, but it’s a universal truth that such hardships shape us. This year, I’m committed to fully releasing the grasp of my past, which includes a poignant step: selling the house I grew up in and inherited a decade ago.
Much like you, Cate, I find myself craving adventure, a yearning perhaps ignited by the adventurous career I once had in the fire department and now miss dearly. There’s a part of me that will never stop exploring, never stop seeking the thrill of the new and unknown.
I promise that from this point forward, I will document and share more of my journey, taking and posting more pictures on my blog. It’s a small commitment to embracing the present and looking forward to the future.
Keep up the incredible work, Cate. Your words resonate and your pictures capture more than just moments; they tell stories. Your blog is a source of inspiration and a reminder that life, with all its twists and turns, is a beautiful adventure worth sharing. 🙂
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Thank you so much for your beautiful words and sentiment, Thomas! YOUR life stories have inspired ME more than I can ever put into words. I’m proud of you and grateful that you were able to take trauma from formative years/experiences and turn them into chapters of your story — and you wouldn’t be who you are without overcoming all you’ve been handed in life. 💛 (not that I want you to have been through those things at all!) I look forward to more of your insights and stories this year and beyond, Thomas! 🤗
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Inspiring choices! Detaching for healing, focusing on healthiness, and seeking adventure – a roadmap for a fulfilling year. What’s your inspiration behind these mantras?
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Thank you so much, Moumita! I was inspired by things I love (travel, dance, meeting new people) and also want to heal from the past. 💛 What inspires you the most?
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