Apologies for the radio silence here on Trout Bummin. Adventures have been had. Sleep has taken place under blankets of stars. Kids have continued to grow. Change continues to happen. And of course I’ve still been fishing ( today was day number four hundred and fifty eight !!!! for anyone else keeping track ).

But through it all, oh probably for the most of this calendar year, I wasn’t all right. I found myself in a state of burnout that I had not felt since very early on in my career. The type of burnout where many days I simply couldn’t seem to find the energy to open up my laptop, and “log-on” to the work portion of my life. Many of these days would end with tears – it was just an exceptionally challenging time for me. Fortunately I was able to identify what was happening due to my prior battle with this back when I worked at Mt. Bachelor – but it was even more challenging for me to work through this time then before.

I was fortunate to find so much support at work during this period. I opted for handling the burnout with honesty, transparency, and vulnerability – and was so very lucky to have a caring group of team mates that helped pick me up when I was down. Slowly I started to feel better. I’m actually feeling better then I have in a few years right know honestly… but through the process I realized that it was time form me to move along from working at Automattic. Seven years is a long time, it is time for something new. Today is my last day.

These transitionary phases of life are always a little bit scary for me. I love the metaphor of a ship leaving a safe harbor venturing out into the sea of uncertainty. Thar be 🐉 in those waters! What about storm swells?! So much is unknown, but in that uncertainty is where the learning and growing really happens. So I’m ready for it. I’m sure I’ll Float On through it all okay.

To celebrate the beginning of the voyage into new waters, Becky and I woke up reeeeaaaalllly early this morning and journeyed into some well-known waters. Because when there is some uncertainty in life, I find it helpful to hangout with someone who I will know will be there for me through it all, in a place where we have been journeying together for so many years – almost 20 to be exact. It was a beauty morning.

I also hope that with this change I’ll feel a bit more up to logging in to WordPress to share some more stories of adventures here. But for now, I’ll just celebrate sharing this post today, and we’ll see where the flow takes me from here.

Take care of yourself y’all – I say that often, but I’m actually prioritizing it for myself starting today.