We all do it: we compare ourselves to others, we compare present day to the past… it’s human. And last weekend I couldn’t help but compare where I’m at now vs. where I was at in 2022.

On my trip back at Chicago from Asheville in 2022, Linley was by my side through some hard times. One of my best friends called me on my drive to tell me that she was expecting her first child, meanwhile I was telling her that a divorce was in my foreseeable future. I was so excited for all my close friends going through such amazing milestones in their lives, meanwhile I was at the loneliest point in my marriage and physical location of Chicago.

Last weekend I took Alex and some of our friends to the same spot Linley and I enjoyed four years ago. Although it was rainy, we made the most of it. And it’s really similar to my life right now: it’s a literal and metaphorical rainy season, but I’m making the most of every moment and am enjoying the rain as it comes.

To think in 2022 I was struggling in my family dynamics, certain friendships, my marriage, location and career. Now my biggest worry is that I won’t be able to make it as a solopreneur, but have never felt more loved and supported.

Photos taken in 2022 and 2026 in Asheville, North Carolina