The Financial Reset: Why Awareness is the Ultimate Act of Self-Care

For a long time, I operated on a "don't look, don't tell" policy with my money. It wasn’t that I was being reckless; I was just financially unaware. I moved through the world on a sort of financial autopilot, knowing I had enough to get by but never actually looking closer. But being unaware is its own kind of stress. It’s a low-level anxiety that hums in the background of everything you do because you don’t actually know where you stand.

Two years ago, I decided that being "unaware" was no longer an option. I realized that if I wanted to build a life that felt grounded and peaceful, I had to start with the numbers.

Now, as part of The Audit, I’ve realized that personal finance isn't a chore—it’s the most foundational form of self-care there is. It’s about giving myself the respect of knowing exactly where I am, so I can decide exactly where I’m going.

Making Peace with the Middle: Why I’m Romanticizing the "Work in Progress"

I spent my 20s doing exactly what I was supposed to do. I left home for college, lived away for a decade, and honestly, life was good. It wasn't a disaster, and I wasn't struggling. However, I realize now that I wasn’t being as intentional as I could have been, especially when it came to managing my finances.

In 2021, I made the decision to move back in with my mom after she purchased her new home. This wasn’t a hasty retreat; it was a conscious choice to transition from merely coasting through life to actively building something meaningful. Two years ago, I finally decided to take my finances seriously, and last year, I embarked on the slow but rewarding journey of remodeling my room to make it truly feel like my own sanctuary.

The thing about The Oasis pillar of my Radiant 90 journey is that it isn't a finished project. My room is very much a work in progress. My bathroom still needs to be finished, and there are a dozen minor things in the bedroom that I haven't crossed off the list yet.

But I’m learning that the middle is where life actually happens.

Reconnecting with the Coil: Why I’m Taking the "Lazy" Out of My Hair Care

I’ve been natural since 2018. Back then, the transition was a thrill. Even though it was a steep learning curve, I loved every second of the process. I loved watching my Type 4 hair grow, seeing how the textures changed, and figuring out what my curls actually needed.

But a funny thing happens when you finally get the length and thickness you were dreaming of. You start to underappreciate it.

I realized I was just expecting my hair to stay healthy without actually putting in the work. Last year, I spent almost the entire year in protective styles. I told myself I was "protecting" my hair or "optimizing growth," but if I’m being honest, I was just being lazy. A protective style stops being protective the moment you stop caring for the hair underneath it. I was hiding my curls because I didn't want to deal with the time they required.

This year, I realized I actually missed my hair. I missed the texture, the ritual, and the feeling of my own curls. And that's why I’m recommitting to giving my curls the love and attention they deserve.

The Ego of Starting Over: Why I’m Back at Square One

If you looked at my race medals from the last two years, you’d see a successful running journey. I kicked off 2023 with my very first 5K, and by 2024, I had confidently progressed to a half marathon. Last December, I reached a significant milestone by crossing the finish line of a full marathon. On the surface, it looked like I was hitting all the benchmarks a runner is expected to achieve.

But here’s the thing: there’s a difference between merely finishing a race and truly training for one.