Another Lap Around the Sun: Living Authentically

Today marks another trip around the sun and this one feels different.

For the first time in a long time, I’m not waking up to an alarm for a job that doesn’t align with who I am. I’m not squeezing creativity into the early mornings, late nights, or weekends. I’m not waiting for "the right time" to start living authentically.

Because this year… I finally chose me.

It didn’t happen overnight. It took honest conversations, the kind that crack you open and force you to really look at where you are, what you want, and what you’re no longer willing to settle for.

In my career, it meant acknowledging that the FIFO life, while safe and stable, wasn’t fulfilling me. I was ready to stop fitting in and start carving out. That decision led me to launch my own business, a creative space where I now help other people grow their dreams, with passion and purpose leading the way.

In love, it meant being real about what I wanted and not just staying in something for comfort or timing. That clarity brought me to the love of my life. A relationship established in truth, freedom, and so much laughter.

In life overall, it meant redefining success. Not by the world’s standards. By mine.

But this year wasn’t just about growth and goals. It was also about heartbreak and healing.

I nearly lost Harlie, and not in the way that may first come to mind. For a time, she was gone from my life, and I was forced to dig deeper than I ever have. To be resilient. To sit with uncertainty. To hold onto the idea that what’s meant for you will always find its way back.

I fought hard. My family and friends fought alongside me. I never gave up on her. And in the end, she came home where she belongs.

That experience changed me. It taught me about strength, patience, and the quiet power of unwavering belief. It reminded me that karma is real. That doing right, staying kind, and holding onto hope matters.

Now, I feel rich in the ways that mean the most:

Waking up with my dogs at my feet

Working with clients who ignite my creativity Feeling supported by the people I love

Living each day more present and grounded

Sure, I’m still growing. Still reaching. Still learning. But I’m doing it from a place of joy, not pressure.

So here’s to another lap around the sun, to living a life I don’t need a break from. To being brave enough to change direction. To creating a version of success that feels good on my terms.

To anyone out there who feels like they’re meant for something more: You are.

It’s never too late to back yourself.

Love,

Em x