It’s February and as I’ve been easing into the year, there’s a lot to be grateful for. Here are a few things I’ve been loving lately.

What I’ve Been Listening To

Gone Before Goodbye
This one surprised me. Suspenseful, yes. But it’s also layered. Grief. Memory. The way the past refuses to stay put. It lingered longer than I expected, which usually tells me something landed deeper than I realized at first.

On Repeat

Praise You in the Storm — the Phil Wickham version
This has been the song. Not because it’s upbeat or tidy, but because it tells the truth without rushing resolution. Faith inside the storm, not after it passes. That distinction matters more than I used to think.

My Work

I haven’t written about my job here before, and maybe that’s intentional. But lately, I’ve noticed how much I love being busy in a good way. Productive. Focused. Competent.

There’s something grounding about having a place where I know what I’m doing. Where effort turns into progress. Where my mind feels useful and steady.

It’s not about hustle.
It’s about capability.
And right now, that feels like a gift.

My Weighted Blanket

I didn’t expect how much I would love sleeping under a weighted blanket. The steady pressure quiets my body before my thoughts catch up. It feels grounding. Containing. Like being held without needing anything in return.

Some nights, that’s exactly what I need.

Progress

I’m finally able to walk on a treadmill again. Not fast. Completely flat. I’m at 2.0, and that’s enough.

Five months ago, this wasn’t possible. So I’m not measuring this in miles or pace. I’m measuring it in return. In my body doing something it couldn’t do for a long time and doing it without protest.

Progress doesn’t always look impressive. Sometimes it just looks like being back on your feet.

Rest

I’m learning that there is real beauty in rest. Strength in it. Peace in it. That rest isn’t quitting or falling behind—it’s actually good.

There was a Saturday recently when I stayed in bed all day. Not sleeping. Just resting. Letting my body be still. Letting my thoughts come and go without needing to do anything with them.

I didn’t earn that rest. I didn’t justify it. I just let it be what it was.

And somehow, that felt like progress too.

An Earthquake

I experienced a 5.1 earthquake in California. That was new.

Not sure I loved it. But I noticed how quickly my body responded. How awareness snaps into place. How fragile and grounded life can feel at the same time.

Even the things we don’t love have a way of reminding us we’re fully here.

I didn’t go looking for joy — it found me. Sometimes joy just shows up and waits for you to notice.

What about you?
What’s been showing up lately?
What’s making you smile?

Let’s keep the conversation going.