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Life, Sold Back to Us

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  Part 1… I’ve often felt drawn to more data, more insights, more technology—anything that promises to optimize my wellbeing. Devices like the iPhone and Apple Watch monitor our steps, heart rate, and even noise exposure. Smart mattresses, rings, and wearables track our sleep, offering recommendations based on constant streams of data. But somewhere along the way, we’ve started outsourcing something far more important—our own intuition. From smart toothbrushes to connected cars to continuous glucose monitors, nearly every aspect of daily life can now be tracked and analyzed. The question is: where does it stop? And what do we lose in the process? Instead of learning how to listen to our bodies—how to recognize signals of stress, fatigue, or recovery—we rely on devices and algorithms to tell us what we need. I’m not outside of this cycle—I’m in it too. But it’s hard not to wonder whether these tools, as advanced as they are, quietly push us toward overconsumption while distracting u...
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The Quiet Collapse of a “Safe” Path

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  When I completed my master’s degree in public health during the height of COVID, it felt like perfect timing. I believed I had placed myself at the center of something historic—a once-in-a-century moment where I could contribute to meaningful change. It seemed like proof that I had made all the right choices and followed the “correct” path. What I didn’t understand then was that there was no guaranteed safety net waiting on the other side. Even while pursuing that path, I held onto writing and personal interests. Something in me resisted being fully absorbed by a rigid system. But it wasn’t until I stepped outside what I’d been told was “secure” that I began to see my real potential reflected back at me. A degree alone didn’t pay off student loans. It didn’t create leverage. It didn’t shield me from financial instability or the reality of living paycheck to paycheck. Many people know that feeling all too well. We were given a formula and told it was the only way to achieve stabil...
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The World I Never Knew – Exploring the Enchantments

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  Coming from the Ozark Mountains, I did not know what the definition of mountains truly looked like in the West. Growing up in Southern Missouri was a world of its own. Rolling hills and cornfields was the scenery I felt I’d never escape. I didn’t even think about the Rocky Mountains or the Cascades. Moving to Idaho opened up many doors for me to explore, and it was, undoubtedly, the best choice I ever made. After being in Idaho for just a few weeks, I heard a coworker talking about The Enchantments. Fascinated, and a little dumbfounded, I asked all about it. I found out that The Enchantments are in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area and part of the Cascade mountains in Washington. I was half shocked and half embarrassed that I did not know that this type of geography existed in the United States, just a few hours from where I was currently living. After a little digging, the photos online were stunning. A visit to The Enchantments got filed in the back of my head, and I went on wit...
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