January hit me hard. Over the holidays, I was determined to start the new year on the right foot. A wave of motivation swept over me, inspiring me to focus on my personal goals—planning more trips, writing for this blog, and diving into new creative projects. To stay on track, I began listing daily tasks in my planner, creating a routine that kept me focused and productive for a solid couple weeks. I truly felt ready to take on 2025. 

That’s when things started to shift.

I received some unexpected news that threw a wrench in my plans, sending me into a spiral of worry. Without getting into details, I now find myself in a place of uncertainty, unsure of where the next few months will take me. So, because of that, I’ve had to hit the pause button.

Around Thanksgiving, I came home to stay with family in Southern California for the holidays to give myself time to reset from the eventful year of traveling I had just experienced. What was meant to be a short 1-2 month stay before resuming my nomadic journey is now looking a bit longer as I take the time to navigate this unexpected turn and gain clarity on what’s next. This wasn’t at all how I expected this year to kick off, but I am surrendering to it and allowing things to unfold the way they are meant to.  

Not only did this news put me into a lethargic state, but the start of the year has felt especially heavy all around. The latest fire outbreaks in Los Angeles have put a dark cloud over our community here in SoCal. That entire week felt like an apocalyptic doom when both the Pacific Palisades and Altadena were up in flames. It was hard to go about daily life without the weight of what was happening just miles away. Since then, the energy in the air has felt different—somber, unsettled, and hard to shake.

Over the past couple weeks, the momentum I had just a month ago began to fade. Going from one of the best years of my life—traveling nonstop and always on the move—to suddenly being at a standstill has been a tough shift. The stagnation has drained my energy, making it hard to stay consistent with this blog. I found myself stuck, unsure of what to write and lacking the motivation to put pen to paper—well, hands to keyboard. I found myself thinking, If I’m not currently traveling, why even stay updated on this? I even considered sharing stories from my past year on the road to keep the blog going, but that didn’t spark much inspiration either since I can’t seem to get my mind off my current reality. I guess you could say I’ve been caught in a loop of imposter syndrome and writer’s block.

I know this blog is meant to share my travel stories and experiences from the road, but I also want it to be a space for honesty—a place where I can be transparent about the full journey, including the ups and downs of navigating life as a nomad. I may not be road tripping through mountain views and scenic landscapes at the current moment, but the nomad adventures still continue, and this is all a part of my story. Let’s just call this a flat tire—an unexpected stop to regroup and fix a few things before I can hit the road again. I have full faith that the higher power above has a plan for me and sometimes that entails having to slow down to shift gears.  

On the bright side, this gives me the chance to rediscover my own backyard. There is so much beauty in my home state of California that I have yet to see and do. Plus, I’ve been revisiting some of my favorite spots in SoCal—places that bring out my most authentic self and remind me of where I came from. It’s nice to be in familiar environments with familiar faces after a year of solo traveling, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t miss being out on the road. I’ve never felt more alive than venturing around place to place in the coolest towns with my dog and seeing the most beautiful sceneries. I miss it so much. I’ll get back out there again soon.  

As I sit down to write this, it’s the Lunar New Year and a New Moon—no wonder I suddenly felt the urge to start writing again. The energy is shifting. For me, this is when the new year truly begins—January was just a trial run! 

We’re stepping into the Year of the Snake, which also happens to be my Chinese zodiac sign. The Snake symbolizes transformation, growth, and the shedding of old layers to evolve into a better version of ourselves. It’s about tuning into our inner truth. The fact that this unexpected pause happened right before the Lunar New Year of my zodiac feels significant—like a necessary shedding of things I’ve outgrown. And that thought alone brings me a sense of peace.

The last time my life hit pause was about seven years ago after a traumatic loss. Looking back, that moment marked the beginning of a profound transformation—one that ultimately led me to where I am today. It reminds me of the idea that we evolve into a new version of ourselves every seven years. And right now, I can feel something stirring, like the calm before a new storm.

Rather than resist it, I’m embracing this time to strategize my next steps. One thing I know for sure: this blog has been instrumental in helping me shed layers of fear and doubt, allowing me to step more fully into my authenticity to the public eye. It’s paving the way for whatever transformation lies ahead. I may have slowed down, but I refuse to stop.

BRB, in my shedding era. 

XO, Tawnie