Half a Year Later: Notes From the In-Between

Last week was my birthday. The summer solstice. And somehow, it's also been six months since I left the job I had once declared would be my last hotel.

It wasn’t just a job — it was the job. The one that fit me like a glove. The one with the kind of leadership, ownership, and team dynamics that don’t come around twice. I got to be a little bit of everything there: strategist, mentor, fixer, dreamer. I’m not going back to another hotel company — not unless the stars align in a way I don’t see happening. That chapter was beautifully, painfully complete.

So, I started something new.

I launched a business. I’ve networked like never before (and surprisingly enjoyed it). I’ve learned tools I used to avoid, from TikTok to AI. I’ve picked up some amazing clients — including some that turned into real friends — and found out I love helping small businesses figure things out. I’ve made a little money. Not enough but I have that luxury for now,  and it is enough to see potential.

One of the most unexpected and rewarding parts of this journey? The community I found through Working Moms of San Antonio. It’s hands-down been my favorite networking experience — not just because I got business out of it, but because I got connection, collaboration, and confidence. WMSA has been part of the glue that held this new version of life together.

What I'm Doing With This Time

I have time now — the kind of time I used to dream of when I was too busy to think. I’ve used it to help my mom manage the grown-up stuff that piles up in your 80s — investments, insurance, estate planning, to be more present for my adult sons as they work through their own early-career stuff. I’ve saved us a few bucks by disputing our property taxes. I’ve walked the aisles of Goodwill and actually DIY’d some things (who am I?).

I’ve hired an organizer who truly changed the way I live at home. I keep plants alive now — me, the former basil killer. I have a tiny book club with my grown son that fills my heart in ways I didn’t see coming. And I’ve taught myself how to use AI to make my work — and my life — smarter, easier, better.

It’s not always glamorous. Some days I feel like I’m contributing less, at least financially. But when I zoom out, I can see the shape of a life that feels more intentional than it ever did before.

The Weird Shifts

Something I wasn’t expecting: friendships shifted.

Some of the people I used to be close to — friends who took up a lot of time when I was juggling a full-time hotel job, consulting work, and family — don’t seem as present anymore. I don’t know if it’s because they see me differently now that I’m not in that fast-paced role... or if I’ve changed in some way. Maybe both. Maybe that’s just part of getting older.

But I’ve found new friends, too. Friends who film content with me, who go to networking events, who send voice notes and memes and check in when I’m quiet. It’s a different kind of friendship, but it’s no less meaningful.

To My Fellow Gen X Women

One of my closest friends regularly reminds me of something that’s stuck with me:  He's always sending me examples of how men will jump into something with zero experience or qualifications and figure it out on the fly — and yet so many women hold themselves back. We wait until we feel "ready." We undervalue what we already know. And we question ourselves more than we should.

That reminder has pushed me forward more times than I can count. Because everything I’m doing now? I’ve done it before in other forms. I’ve led, coached, strategized, created — and I can keep doing those things, just in new ways. That’s true for you, too.

You’re not starting from scratch. You’re repackaging what you already know. You’re helping people. And that matters.

So price your work like it matters. Believe that you can do the thing before you feel ready. Jump in. Tweak it later. Keep going.

This kind of transition takes patience — something I’ve never had in abundance. It’s easy to get discouraged when you feel like you’re not making progress fast enough. But the potential is there. You just have to keep your eyes on it.

I’ve been reminding myself constantly that perfection is the enemy of progress. Learn as you go. Do what you can. If one thing doesn’t work, find something else. I’ve scattered myself in a million directions trying to figure out how to bring in income — and that’s okay. Some things will flop. Some things will evolve. But the key is to keep moving.

If you're in this same weird in-between — leaving something behind, figuring out what’s next, feeling both free and a little lost — you’re not alone.

You can start over. You can learn new skills. You can find new circles. You can still make money, make an impact, and build a life that makes sense for who you are now.

You might even find that the life you're building — messy, slower, more intentional — fits you better than the one you left behind. And if you're building something of your own, like I am, that realization becomes fuel. It's what drives me to help others step into their own version of confidence, clarity, and contribution.

If you're not sure where to start or how to move forward — let’s talk.