A Lot of Everything, Lately

Happy New Year. It feels good to be here again, writing to you. We’re definitely due for an update! If you’ve ever planned a wedding, you know it slowly becomes a full-time job you didn’t apply for. The date is getting closer, so I apologize for my absence. But I’m back. With stories. This might read like a scattered diary, but that’s exactly what this season feels like. Here’s a little update on what I’ve been up to:

Reading:

So far, I’ve read four books in 2026: A Thing Called Love by Oreva, Too Late by Colleen Hoover, From This Day Forward by Craig & Amy, and Sinners by Sierra Simone. I’d recommend every single one. Reading has become my safest form of escape. Two chapters in the morning before the world starts demanding things from me. Two chapters at night, before I sleep, and start over again. It keeps me grounded. One of my goals for 2026 is become more well-spoken. And this exercise is helping. Try to pick a book soon, too.

Wedding (#ASoulforAbby):

I can finally say it out loud: I’m a 2026 bride! This is the year I marry the love of my life.

How’s the planning going? Bruh!  I want to elope. Because wedding planning isn’t just budgets and vendors and spreadsheets, it’s emotional labour. The invisible work. The constant thinking. The worrying. The remembering. The managing of people’s expectations, opinions, schedules, and feelings.

The hardest part isn’t the tasks. It’s being the project manager of an entire micro-community. You’re not just planning a wedding, you’re coordinating families, friends, traditions, and delicate egos. I’m working on a blog series about this, and trust me, I will share my journey so far...there is plenty of tea.

Work (and all my personalities)

For those new here: by day, I’m a marketing consultant and brand storyteller. By night, I run a shirt business with my partner and a storytelling agency for startups.

I genuinely love what I do. But I won’t lie, it can be exhausting. My brain is always on. Always switching tabs and multitasking.

The good thing? I enjoy being busy. The bad thing? Being busy means some parts of my life get neglected, like writing here, like resting properly, like doing nothing without guilt.

Since I added my newest full-time role, Bride, life has felt like a group chat that never stops buzzing.

I try not to complain because I know I’m living in answered prayers.

But if one day you hear I’ve become a full housewife, don’t be shocked. I’m slowly warming up to the idea of being paid for doing absolutely nothing.

 Mental health:

January was heavy. I had many days where everything felt overwhelming for no clear reason. I felt tired in my spirit. I wanted to withdraw. I cried more than I’d like to admit. Not because something terrible happened, but life was too much to handle.

People always say, “Ask for help.” And I believe in that. I have a solid community of friends. But some days, I felt embarrassed needing them again and again. I didn’t want to feel like a burden. So, I carried a lot quietly. I’m still learning how to be gentle with my own mind.

My parents:

I’ve been spending more time with my parents than I have in years, and it’s been beautiful.

I went home recently and looked at my dad and thought, wow, I really like you as a human being. I felt proud to come from someone so brilliant. I’m learning to slow down and really see the people around me. To listen better. To be more compassionate, not just to others, but to myself too.

So yes, that’s my life lately. A lot of everything. All at once. February already feels gentler and hopeful. I’m entering this new month with lighter expectations and an open heart. I hope to show up here more consistently and share this bridal era with you. Thank you for reading.

See you next week.
xoxo