A Season of Change 🌱
If you’ve been wondering where I’ve been lately, life has been full of change over here. I’ve been navigating a new chapter at a new studio, finding my footing in a different community, keeping up with five kids, and figuring out how to make room for all the things that matter to me — including Make Me Awesome.
And then there's this stage of life I’m in. At 52 and post-menopause, I'm navigating changes in my body, energy, hormones, and even how I feel about myself. Things that once came easily sometimes require a little more effort, patience, and intention. It's been an adjustment, to say the least!
Some days I feel excited about all the possibilities ahead. Other days, I'm still finding my rhythm, adjusting to changes I didn't necessarily expect, and wondering if I've made the right decisions. The truth is, starting over at this stage of life is exciting, but it can also be uncomfortable. I'm learning that we don't always have to feel ready to take the next step. Sometimes we just have to trust ourselves enough to take it.
The Lotus 🪷
I've always loved the lotus flower. It holds a special place in my heart, not only for its beauty, but for its symbolism and connection to my Vietnamese heritage.
What I find most meaningful about the lotus is the journey it takes to bloom. Its roots are anchored in dark, murky water, and as it grows, it has to push through the depths without being able to see the light above. It doesn't know exactly where the surface is, but it keeps reaching, following its own path until it finally breaks through and opens toward the sun.
To me, that is such a powerful reminder of what it means to trust yourself and the process. There are seasons in life when things feel uncertain, when you can't quite see the way forward, and when what surrounds you feels stagnant or dark. But that doesn't mean you're standing still. Sometimes the most important work is happening beneath the surface, in the choices you make, the resilience you build, and the intention and determination you bring to each step.
The lotus reminds me that finding your way to the light takes patience, focus, and the confidence to keep going, even when you can't yet see where the journey will lead.
Knowing When It's Time to Let Go 🍃
Six years ago, when I moved to Chicago as a newly single mom, I was building a new life for myself and my kids. Finding a studio that quickly became so much more than a place to teach was an important part of that chapter. It became my community, my routine, and a big part of how I found my footing in a new city. Over the years, it became intertwined with my identity, so the thought of leaving was never just about walking away from a job. It meant letting go of a place that had been part of my life through so much change.
But somewhere along the way, things began to change. I found myself in an environment where I no longer felt supported or appreciated in the ways that mattered to me, and where I couldn't see the opportunities for growth I was looking for. As much as I valued the history and the relationships I had built, I was beginning to recognize that I needed something different.
That realization didn't make the decision easy. I think it's why I held on as long as I did. It's hard to walk away from something that has meant so much to you, especially when it was there during a time when you needed it. But eventually, I had to accept that being grateful for what a place had given me didn't mean I had to stay there. What had once been the right fit for me had become a chapter I was ready to close.
So, I took the leap.🫣
Now I’m starting over at a new studio, rebuilding my classes, getting to know new people, and finding my place in a new community. I’m excited about the possibilities ahead, but there are also moments when I question myself and wonder if I made the right move.
I suppose that's part of stepping into something unfamiliar. You don't always get to see the whole path before you begin. You have to trust your instincts, stay focused on where you want to go, and keep showing up.
I’m learning to let confidence catch up with courage. ✨
Finding My Rhythm in a Full Life 💛
Outside the studio, I’m raising five kids, continuing to build Make Me Awesome, and still trying to find that ever-elusive balance when it comes to taking care of myself, physically and mentally.
My relationship with my body and how I take care of it has been changing, too. My instinct has always been to push harder, squeeze more into every day, and somehow find room for one more thing. But I'm learning that what worked for me years ago doesn't always work for me now. I need to be more intentional about movement, recovery, nutrition, and giving myself a little grace along the way.
That also means Make Me Awesome has been a little quieter than I’d like lately. It’s not for lack of ideas or excitement about what we’re building! I still love creating short workout videos for our Make Me Awesome app, staying connected with Natalie and all of you, and dreaming up new ideas for our AwesMom community.
Life is reminding me that building something meaningful takes time. It’s not about doing everything at once, but learning to slow down, be present, and trust that the little things I’m doing today are leading somewhere.
Maybe that's a little like the lotus, too. Not everything happens above the surface. Sometimes the most important work is happening quietly, before anyone else can see it. Just because things aren't blooming yet doesn't mean nothing is happening.
Becoming, One Step at a Time 🌸
I’m realizing that we don't need a big, dramatic transformation to move forward. Sometimes it's the small, everyday choices that help us find our footing and remind us what matters.
We don't have to have everything figured out. We don't have to rush the process. And we certainly don't have to measure our lives against someone else's timeline.
Sometimes showing up for yourself looks like taking a leap. Other times, it means slowing down, reassessing, and giving yourself permission to take the next step when you're ready.
For me, this chapter is about trusting my own direction. It's about having the resilience to keep going, the focus to stay true to what matters, and the confidence to believe that I can find my way—even when the path isn't entirely clear.
My current mantra? I'm not behind. I'm becoming. 💛
And that's what I want for Make Me Awesome, too: a space where we can move, feel good in our bodies, connect with one another, and keep showing up for ourselves—even when life gets full.
Because we're all unfolding in our own time. We don't need to compare our journey to anyone else's or have every petal open at once.
Here's to new chapters, a little more courage, and trusting that even when we can't see what's taking shape beneath the surface, something beautiful may be unfolding. 🪷
With love,
Super Siobhán🤍