Hello again!

I'm back. And I've missed this.

Hi there,

It’s been a minute. I know. September feels like a lifetime ago, and honestly, the last few months have been a whirlwind in ways I didn’t quite anticipate. My partner got accepted into the executive MBA program at MIT, which is an incredible achievement and also means we’ve been in a bit of flux — traveling back and forth between Mexico City and Cambridge, trying to figure out what the next chapter looks like for our family. Add an almost-one-year-old into the mix, and you can imagine how grounding anything, let alone a creative practice, has felt impossible.

But something shifted recently. I’ve been off Instagram for over two-weeks now. I needed a break. At the same time, I’ve been doing The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron to try to nurture my creativity. And honestly? It’s working. It’s felt like coming home to a part of myself I’d lost somewhere in pregnancy, postpartum and all this transition. I realized I want my son to grow up seeing his mom create — not because she has to, not because it’s her job, but because it nourishes her. Because it’s who she is.

So I’ve been moving slower. Cooking a few new recipes every week just for the joy of it. Crafting garlands for my son’s first birthday. Writing. A lot. Reading books that are actually changing how I think about parenting and control — the advice in Hunt, Gather, Parent pops in my head multiple times a day, and I’m currently deep in The Perfectionist’s Guide to Losing Control. I even finally watched Heated Rivalry (kinda late on that one), and I so get the hype. I’m letting myself have fun with my creative process. Not taking anything too seriously. Looking at everything with more curious eyes.

I’m stationed in Mexico City for at least another month (new guide coming early next week!), and that groundedness is everything right now. It’s given me space to actually think about what I want to share with you all. I’ve missed this. I’ve missed connecting with you.

So here I am. Back. With a tender heart and a renewed sense of wonder. More to come very soon.

I love you.

Ali

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