Cultivating character from the mountainside.

  • Rekindling the Spark Within

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    It’s funny how life has a way of reminding us that growth rarely happens all at once. Most of the time, it happens quietly, and if we are not paying attention, we almost miss it.

    In my Intro to Communications class, we have been studying relationships and how, if we don’t nurture them or put effort into them, the “spark” can grow dim… sometimes even go out. As I worked on assignments for that class, I found myself thinking about our relationship with ourselves. If we don’t put effort into caring for who we are, our own spark can slowly fade too.

    One idea we studied was how doing new things with a partner can cultivate fresh feelings of excitement and connection. Sometimes those “new things” are simple — asking each other thoughtful questions, trying a new restaurant, hiking a different trail, or playing interactive games together.

    Visiting a German Christmas Market,
    Enjoying new activities with new friends. :) HOCKEY
    w/Tusky, UT Mammoth’s Mascot,
    Hiking new paths

    It made me realize how easy it is, as time moves on, to settle into a rhythm. The daily chores, caring for children, preparing meals… the steady responsibilities of life. Slowly, day after day, routine takes over. At one point, I noticed my own inner spark had grown dim. I wasn’t feeling excited about the future anymore. I wasn’t even thinking much about it. Life had quietly become just one day at a time.

    As you may have noticed if you have read this blog for a while, I have been learning how to cultivate my spirit again — how to breathe new life into my soul. I started doing new things, exploring ideas I had set aside, and allowing myself time to grow personally.

    Trying something new can feel a lot like standing at the edge of a cliff. The views are inviting… but the fear of the fall is there too.

    Photo taken by Tuesdee for a photography class Devils Bridge, Sedona Arizona
    Tuesdee hiked Devils Bridge in Sedona Az

    There’s been times the height, or the hike is too much, it felt safer to sit still. But there are times when I was brave and just started the hike – and once I did, I found the destination was worth the effort and the attempt. It was exciting! It reminds me that sometimes fear is simply the doorway to growth.

    Comfort has its place. Routine can steady us. But sometimes we wake up and realize we’ve been standing in the same place for a little too long.

    Trying something new does not have to be bold or dramatic like sitting at the edge of a cliff. It can be simple. Quiet. Personal.

    For me, it has looked like learning a new skill with my hands, cooking a meal completely from scratch, taking a challenging class, or starting a project I had been quietly wanting to try for years. These small steps have a way of reigniting that spark and breathing fresh air back into the soul.

    my first knit hat with a pattern
    Making my family’s Christmas Socks
    Getting a green house, learning to garden.
    Learning to make all things Sourdough
    Learning to decorate cakes
    I made my daughters wedding cake.

    I remember wanting to try something new but convincing myself I wouldn’t be good at it. I put it off for months… even years. I didn’t want to feel like a failure. I have never liked feeling weak. But when I finally gathered the courage to begin, I realized something important — being new at something is not weakness. It is an opportunity to grow without expectation. I wanted to learn to sew a blanket, I learned a lot and had a lot of fun! It isn’t perfect but it makes me smile every time I cuddle under it.

    Often, the only expectations we feel are the pressures we place on ourselves.

    Learning to let go of that pressure has been freeing. Allowing myself to be a beginner again has helped me become more humble, more patient, and more curious. I wanted to learn how to snowboard in my early 40’s… I found out I didn’t like snowboarding but I LOVED skiing.

    Tuesdee in a Snowboarding class
    2-22-22 at 2:22pm The Ultimate “Tues” Day!
    Went on my first Blue Run.

    Going back to school at 47 reminded me that I am still capable of learning… still capable of changing… still capable of becoming more than I was yesterday.

    Registered for College at 47!
    Learning and Growing

    So my challenge to you is this:

    Take time to cultivate your own spirit. Breathe life back into your own soul.

    Think of one thing you would like to try. Nothing complicated. Nothing overwhelming.

    Write it down today.

    Then take one small step toward it. Study it. Ask questions. Gather what you need.

    Begin before you feel ready.

    Give yourself permission to start… and permission to learn.

    Sometimes the spark we are looking for is waiting just on the other side of that first small leap.

    I’m holding myself accountable too! I want to ride dirt bikes, I want to get better. I researched and found my bike…Now we practice!

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  • Research and Reflection

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    This week we have been asked to do research on other blogs like our own and see what we can learn from them. Not just what we learn from their stories but also what we learn from their writing styles. I have enjoyed this assignment and I have found that most of the blogs I enjoy reading have many of the things we are learning about, I love the personal anecdotes and the vulnerable stories heart felt and honest, I really like when they direct there riding to me the reader, like we are having a conversation When they blend their advice with personal story telling, parables are a great way to understand messages and bring them to life. I also enjoy when they end with a call to action or a reflection, what have we learned and now what are you going to do about it. I like it when the connect to me on a personal level in their topics as well.

    Over my life I have come to find out that learning is not just done in the classroom. After being away from school for many years, coming back to college has been both exciting and overwhelming. Some days I feel on top of the world energized and motivated, while other days I feel like there are simply not enough hours in the day. Between all of the assignments, responsibilities at home, and trying to find time to just breathe, I have realized how easy it is to feel stretched thin.

     I found reading posts like How to Survive Academic Burnout: Tips From A Rising Senior Aim Youth Mental Health it reminded me that many students, no matter their age, experience burnout at some point.

    What are the signs we might be doing too much? Do we even recognize it before it is too late? I have found that you might notice it in small ways at first. Sometimes it feels harder to concentrate, or motivation begins to fade. The blog Burnout in College: Seeing the Signs & How to Recover at Rowan Blog explains how burnout can build slowly when we try to do everything perfectly. This seemed like a wake up call for me, and a call to action to do better because I am a perfectionist. I’ve learned we often feel pressure to keep pushing forward, even when our minds are asking for rest.

    Something I have learned over my life, but seem to always get the opportunity to practice again, because I have forgotten, balance does not mean everything is perfectly equal all the time. Sometimes balance simply means giving yourself permission to pause in reading from ISU Social media, Recognizing Mental Health and Student Burnout it helped me see how important it is to pay attention to our mental well-being, not just our grades. My girls who are also in school keep telling me, “mom, you don’t need a 4.0, C’s get degrees!” The even recognize that sometimes I need to give myself permission to pause and reflect about what is truly important in life.

    Even though I am coming back to get that piece of paper that says “I DID IT!”, college is not just about earning a degree. It is also about learning how to grow, adapt, and care for ourselves along the way. Even when you are in your 40’s you can still grow and learn and find out new things about yourself. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, remember that slowing down does not mean giving up. Neither does taking a break, even if it’s for a few years… I think, the strongest step forward is allowing yourself a moment to breathe and begin again.

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  • What You See, Is What You Get!

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    Finding your voice in your writing… That is what my class assignment is this week. After being away from school for 27 years and coming back, this is one thing I think I have found — or at least continue to build on.

    Dolly Parton once said, “Find out who you are and do it on purpose.” I love this quote and think it is something everyone should start doing at a young age. I have tried to teach my own daughters this, and I hope it is one piece of advice they actually listened to.

    Picture of my Daughter on her birthday

    To be honest, I learned this lesson pretty early in life. Back when I was graduating from high school, I was applying to different schools and scholarships. Part of the process required references. One of mine was a former Church Bishop who was also my French teacher and the boys’ track coach. I was on the girls’ track team, so I saw him often. One thing he said about me in his recommendation has always stuck in my mind. He wrote, “Tuesdee is very genuine — what you see is what you get.” I have always loved that description. I don’t know exactly why it meant so much to me at the time, but I carried it with me and patterned much of my life after it. I’ve tried to cultivate a life where I can be authentically me.

    Tuesdee’s High School Graduation Picture
    Tuesdee’s High School Volleyball team,
    3A State Champions
    Tuesdee High Jumping in High School.

    Some things I’ve learned about myself that make me unique: I grew up shadowing both of my parents, but I especially loved fixing things with my dad. To this day, I enjoy figuring out how things work — rewiring lights, flushing my brakes, or building something new. My poor husband knows that if we have furniture that comes in a box and needs to be assembled… that is definitely my job. I LOVE it.

    Me Flushing the Breaks on our Boat Trailer
    Putting my sewing cabinet together.
    Rewiring the lights on our Snowmobile trailer.

    I’ve also learned that I don’t really fit into any particular mold. I enjoy activities like running, yoga, lifting weights, biking — heck, I’ve even been in test groups for Peloton trying out new products and workouts. But I don’t consider myself a jock or a health nut.

    Family Turkey Trot
    After Building my Weight Machine
    workouts on vacation

    Some days I enjoy dressing up and wearing the latest fashion or throwing on a pair of Lululemon leggings. Other days you might catch me in Wranglers and boots, out playing with my horse.

    Ben and Tuesdee at a German Festival
    Tuesdee and her horse Cisco

    I love music, and I even own a harpsichord. My taste in music is very well-rounded. My husband laughs at my Spotify DJ because it is all over the place. One minute it might be Ella Langley, then AC/DC, followed by Andrea Bocelli.

    Tuesdee performing with her daughter’s High School Orchestra, featuring her harpsichord

    I love crafting and have been knitting and crocheting since before “grandma hobbies” were considered cool. I also love reading and watching movies like Hallmark rom-coms. But I’m also the girl who bought season tickets to our local hockey team because I enjoy watching a good fight on the ice.

    Knitting Christmas Stocking
    Tuesdee at a Utah Hockey Event for Season Ticket Holders
    Tuesdee and her Husband (Ben) with UT Mammoth’s Right Wing, Dylan Guenther.

    My point is, I have grown up loving that I am unique. I love that if I want to try something new, I’m not afraid to try it. I definitely have other insecurities, but imposter syndrome is not one of them.

    If you are reading this blog, I hope you realize that YOU — being the best version of yourself — is always enough. Cultivate yourself into someone you are proud of. Never force yourself into a box. If that box starts to feel claustrophobic, set yourself free.

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  • What We Don’t See Behind the Smiles

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    The year was 2005, and life was good—really good. The first half of the year was filled with so many happy moments. My husband graduated from grad school with honors. Two weeks later, I gave birth to our third beautiful daughter. And ONE (yes, one) week after that, we moved to a different state for my husband’s job.

    Not just any state—we moved to sunny California. Life was supposed to be amazing. We had tickets to Disneyland, we went to the beach regularly, I had a beautiful, healthy baby… what could possibly go wrong?

    Well, all of that happened in less than a month, it was a lot. After we moved, my husband’s job became very demanding. Between work and commuting, he was gone more than he was home. That left me alone with three small children. My oldest had just started first grade, and on her very first day, the school put her on the wrong bus. They lost my child for a couple of hours. Panic doesn’t even begin to describe how I felt.

    I had no friends, no family nearby, and suddenly no support with my husband working so much. I tried to create a routine, tried to make things work—but everything felt harder and harder. On the outside, it looked like I had a beautiful life. We went to Disneyland in the evenings and to the beach on weekends.

    But don’t let the smiles fool you.

    During the week, when the kids were at school or napping, I sat and cried. I couldn’t understand why I was struggling so much. Why did I hurt? Why did I feel so hopeless? As the days turned into weeks, I started losing interest in everything. My husband would have to push me to go out. I was constantly exhausted, and I felt completely broken.

    The worst part? I didn’t know why.

    This went on for months—almost a year—before I finally figured it out: postpartum depression.

    As I started researching, I realized I had almost every symptom listed, including those described by MayoClinic . Things like mood swings, excessive crying, withdrawal from loved ones, exhaustion, loss of interest in activities, feelings of hopelessness, and even anxiety and panic. The moment I began having thoughts of suicide, I knew I needed help. I couldn’t keep living like that—and honestly, I didn’t want to.

    As you’ll come to know about me, I am a very religious person. I believe deeply in God. But during this time, I found myself distancing not only from my family, but from Him as well.

    One day, I was sitting in my closet, crying and asking God, “Why?” I remember thinking, “Are you even there? Why won’t you listen to me?” As I sat there, ready to give up, a small thought entered my mind: “I’m not the one not listening.”

    It was quiet and gentle, and it caught me off guard.

    I was angry and upset and this was something I would not think on my own. As I sat and thought about it, more thoughts came. One that I will never forget was: “I will not yell. I will not shout. I will not cause chaos. There is only one who does that.”

    In that moment, I realized something powerful. The chaos, the noise, the confusion—that wasn’t from God. I had been so overwhelmed that I couldn’t hear the quiet answers He was trying to give me.

    That’s where my healing began.

    I wanted to try to overcome this without medication, if possible. So I started praying and asking for help. The answer I felt impressed to follow was simple: find three things every day that brought me happiness.

    So I did.

    Every day, I searched for those three things. And on the days when sadness felt overwhelming, I tried to find even more. It was not easy. In fact, it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.

    I remember one particularly bad day—one of the worst. I felt completely empty and convinced there was nothing to be happy about. As I stood in the kitchen, overwhelmed and frustrated, I opened the snack cupboard. I already knew it was empty—I hadn’t gone grocery shopping in days.

    But as I moved a few boxes, I found something tucked in the back: a box of Good & Plenty.

    I almost cried.

    That small, forgotten treat—my favorite candy—became my joy for the day. It was a tiny moment, but it mattered.

    Now, I can’t say everything magically got better. Life doesn’t work that way. I still have moments where I feel overwhelmed or hopeless. There was even a time when I needed medication. I worked with doctors, adjusted doses, and while it helped my thoughts, it also made me feel unlike myself.

    So, with my husband’s support, I found my way back to focusing on joy and building a support system. On hard days, he helps me—whether that means getting me out of the house, listening while I vent, or encouraging me to try something new.

    What I hope you take from my story is this:

    Mental health is real. Depression is real. And getting through it can feel like hell.

    But with help—from doctors, from loved ones, and for me, from God—you can get through it.

    You can do hard things.

    And most importantly: don’t give up. Tomorrow can be better.

    Ethics Note: this post addresses mental health sensitivity, it is something that affect many people and me personally. I linked major health organization to help address systems. I sought to bring awareness and advocate for others letting them know, they are not alone.

    Mayo Clinic Postpartum Depression Link

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  • The Power of Reflection

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    After enjoying a “spring break” with anything but spring weather where I’m from, I logged into my Mass Media class to see what the latest challenge would be for this blog. What will my subject be? What will I need to add this time—a link, a photo, more feeling in my writing? I opened the assignment and saw the word… “Reflection.”

    I was asked to reflect on my blog: what is working for me, what is challenging, and whether my knowledge of blogging and mass media has changed. So I began to reflect on my blog and what I have accomplished so far. As I look back through my posts, I can hear my own voice in my writing. I’ve learned that I truly enjoy being creative. I like finding the words that express my thoughts and feelings, and I enjoy looking back at my life and reflecting on what I’ve learned along the way.

    Reflection is such a powerful word. It can hold so many emotions and thoughts. Are we lingering on positive memories, or are we dwelling on the sad or hurtful ways we learned certain lessons? I used to be more of a “glass half empty” kind of girl, but I’ve learned that dwelling is never a good practice. It’s much more important to reflect on the positive. Reflection is a lot like looking in a mirror—we don’t want to see something negative staring back at us or have toothpaste splatters obstructing our view. Instead, we want to appreciate what we see, enhance it, and make it better.

    One thing that is working well for me in this class is being able to take assignments and be creative with how I present them on my blog. Even something as simple as adding a photo can help tell a visual story while my words bring in my voice. I enjoy trying to add personality, depth, and perspective to each post. I also like including links because it allows me to do research on the topic I’m presenting. It helps bring in facts and supporting information that validate my thoughts and ideas.

    No matter the project or assignment, there will always be challenges. But challenges and struggles are often the things that teach us the most. They shape our character and help cultivate the skills we need to grow and succeed. If we approach those challenges with a “glass half full” mindset, we can learn from them and eventually flourish.

    Studying mass media and understanding how the world presents information—and how we interpret it—has changed my thinking in many ways. The biggest lesson I’ve learned so far is the importance of doing my research and asking important questions when I’m presented with large amounts of information. Questions like: Who is writing this? What are they trying to get me to believe? Do I actually believe what they are saying? Am I allowing the information I receive to influence my thoughts and think for me, or am I thinking for myself?

    Once again, it comes back to that word: reflection. Reflecting on what I see and hear, and deciding what I am truly learning from it. I came across a quote today that said…

    I hope that as I continue through life—and even after I finish this class—I remember this assignment. I hope I continue to reflect on what I learn so I can keep growing and cultivating my character.

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  • There Is No Growth in Comfort

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    Have you ever been given an assignment—whether for work, school, or just life in general—and you instantly have brain fog? That’s been me this week.

    Every week I juggle at least five different projects that require writing, and this week’s blog post had me completely stumped. So, I did what any normal person would do: I doom-scrolled for about twenty minutes.

    Then I landed on my sister’s Instagram post. She shared a quote by Roy T. Bennett that stopped me in my tracks:

    https://www.instagram.com/the_clean_read_book_club/

    If that isn’t a lesson I’ve learned in my 47 years of life, I don’t know what is.

    Let me tell you a little about me before I share a story. I love learning new things—but with new things comes fear. Fear of failure. Fear of success. Fear of looking stupid. Fear of getting hurt. Fear of the unknown. The list could go on forever.

    Most of the time, I try new things in what I call a reasonably scary way. Is that a thing? It is in my brain—just go with it. I like stepping outside my comfort zone but still staying within boundaries that feel doable. Enough fear to feel alive, but not enough to completely shut me down.

    About five years ago, I was living in the blazing Arizona heat and desperately needed an escape. So I did something I never thought I would do—I asked my husband to take me to Flagstaff and teach me how to snowboard at Snowbowl.

    Now, you need to understand something: I was petrified of snow sports. When I was a child, my mom took me to the funeral of one of her cousins who had died in a skiing accident. I don’t remember all the details—just the feeling. That fear stuck with me for decades. Up until five years ago, you wouldn’t have caught me dead on a mountain.

    I think my request shocked my husband. He loves snowboarding.

    We decided to plan the trip around our anniversary and make it a big weekend getaway. To be honest, my husband gave me so many pep-talks. He was even reminding me to breath.  I didn’t just want to get down the mountain—I wanted off the mountain.

    Being the smart man that he is, he signed me up for a snowboarding class. He knew if he tried to teach me himself, it would go horribly wrong—and he wanted to preserve our marriage, especially on our anniversary.

    family photo of author

    After two hours of class, I could barely make it down the beginner hill. My wrists were sore, my backside hurt, and my confidence was shaken. We grabbed a hot chocolate, and I sat in a chair next to a warm fire overlooking the mountain, watching my husband effortlessly cruise down the slopes.

    It was magical!

    What did I learn from that trip?
    First, I was a terrible snowboarder.
    Second—and far more important—I had an incredible amount of fun. I felt proud of myself for trying something so far outside my comfort zone. We immediately booked another weekend to try skiing.

    That trip went much better than snowboarding. I was one of the oldest people in the “learn to ski” class, but my instructor told me I picked it up faster than anyone he had ever taught. (Yes, he absolutely got a tip.)

    family photo of Author

    Now I get on the mountain whenever I can. I’ve taken all my kids to ski school, and I even requested that same instructor—he really was fabulous. Skiing has become something we can all enjoy together as a family. The fear is still there, but now it’s managed instead of controlling me.

    What I learned is this: stepping out of your comfort zone drives personal growth, builds confidence, and opens the door to passions you never expected. Discomfort doesn’t mean danger—it often means growth. When we face fear in small, intentional ways, it becomes something we can carry instead of something that carries us.

    So, the next time you think “I’ll never do that!” Never say never, you just might like it!

    family photo of Author
    family photo of Author

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  • Counting Blessings and Finding Glimmers

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    “When upon life’s billows, you are tempest-toss’d,
    When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
    Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
    And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.”

    — A hymn written by Johnson Oatman Jr.

    Johnson Oatman Jr. wrote nearly 5,000 hymns, yet none is more widely known than Count Your Blessings, which has been printed in more than 230 hymnals. There is a reason this hymn has endured. Its message has become a lifeline—one that has carried me through some of the hardest seasons of my life.

    I grew up in a very religious home, and my testimony of my Heavenly Father and Savior, Jesus Christ, is something I have always leaned on. Still, there came a time when I questioned even my own faith. I was struggling with postpartum depression that escalated into severe, overwhelming depression. It was a dark time. I wondered if God could hear my prayers. I wondered if He cared.

    One of the most important lessons I learned during that time is that God doesn’t scream or shout. He doesn’t create large commotions to get our attention. God speaks in small and simple ways—and it is our responsibility to learn how to hear Him.

    One day, I sat in my closet praying, crying, and asking God, “Are you there? Can you hear me? Do you even care that I am struggling so badly?” I sat there sobbing, desperate for an answer. Then a quiet thought came into my mind: “I’m not the one who isn’t listening.”

    I sat in stunned silence, trying to make sense of what I had just felt. Almost immediately, another verse from that same hymn came to mind:

    “Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
    Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
    Count your many blessings; every doubt will fly,
    And you will be singing as the days goes by.”

    Whether you are religious or not, finding joy in the small, ordinary moments of life can spark a moment of happiness and cultivate a sense of well-being. Religion often calls these moments blessings, while Deb Dana a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, through her Polyvagal Theory, refers to them as “glimmers.”

    So, what are blessings—or glimmers? They can be anything that brings even a flicker of joy: a friendly smile, the smell of a warm summer pine tree, or the look your dog gives you when he wants to cuddle. Dana explains that glimmers happen all the time, but because they are so small, we must slow down, notice, and intentionally look for them.

    I have found that seeking out at least three glimmers each day—things that bring joy, hope, happiness, or even just a sense of peace—changes the way my mind and heart respond to life. It reminds me not only that my Heavenly Father loves me and cares deeply for me, but that He has created a kind of sacred treasure hunt, filling my days with unlimited glimmers if I am willing to notice them.

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  • Fake It Until You Make It, Find Out Who You Are.

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    Twenty-seven years ago, I walked onto the campus of Snow College in Ephraim, Utah, feeling completely on top of the world. I had moved from my very small hometown of Ferron to what felt like a bustling college town. Now, if you’ve ever been to Snow College, you might laugh at the word bustling, but for me, there was a lot going on. They were even putting in a stoplight—not to be confused with the red and green lights we only used at Christmas time.

    At that point in my life, I was confident and didn’t carry many insecurities. By the time I graduated high school, I had been on the volleyball team where we won the state championship. I also ran track and placed second in region in the high jump, qualifying for state every year. I volunteered regularly in my community, helping with Jr. Jazz basketball camps and working closely with my church. Because I grew up in a small town, I knew a lot of people and had many friends.

    This was an exciting time for me. I was nervous, but the excitement felt like being a little kid on Christmas morning, wide awake and waiting to see what Santa had brought.

    Fast forward seven years.

    I’m now packing my bags—with three kids—and moving to California for my husband’s new job. I went from cruising down dirt roads without a soul in sight to sitting in traffic on a seven-lane freeway. To get anywhere, I had to take two freeways and play leapfrog across lanes just to reach the nearest Walmart, only five miles away.

    That carefree girl I once knew—the one ready to take on the world—was nowhere to be found. In her place was a very insecure version of me, one who liked to hide from the world, sometimes literally in the back of her closet on the worst days. If I needed to go out, I’d give myself an hour-long pep talk, repeating, “YOU CAN DO THIS!” and not really believing it.

    This was where I lost sight of who I was.

    I felt alone—that gut-wrenching feeling of not being good enough, all tangled up with fear, sadness, and insecurity. I didn’t fit in. I wasn’t raised in a city; my way of life and my culture were completely different from what I was now facing. My family lived states away, my husband worked long hours at an intense job, and I had no one to turn to.

    No one around me was like me.

    Living on the border of Orange County, I became painfully aware that I didn’t look the part. My Wrangler jeans and Walmart sneakers didn’t exactly blend in with dress pants and stilettos—the outfits moms wore to pick up their kids from kindergarten. This was where I unknowingly met imposter syndrome.

    To be honest, I wouldn’t hear that term until years later, when my daughter told me she had imposter syndrome. I had to Google it because I’d never heard of it before. Growing up, we just called it self-doubt and insecurity.

    This season of my life taught me one of the most important lessons I’ve ever learned—and one I’m still learning. It’s not something you master or perfect. It’s something you practice.

    Being you is the best thing you can be—whatever that looks like.

    It’s also something I try to teach my girls.

    One day, one of my daughters told me she was going to a bonfire with friends. At the time, we were living in Arizona in a smaller community. There was a big open field where people gathered, built bonfires, and did some country dancing. I grew up in that kind of environment, so it felt familiar to me.

    I suggested she wear cowboy boots and throw on a flannel jacket. I had plenty of both in my closet. Her response surprised me.

    “I can’t,” she said. “I’d have imposter syndrome.”

    She had grown up in California and Phoenix—more city culture—and this country-style activity felt foreign to her. I understood where she was coming from, but I also realized something important: no one is an expert at anything without starting somewhere.

    If you have an interest or a desire to try something new, don’t stand on the sidelines. Don’t let it pass you by because you’re worried about what someone else might think—or worse, what that small, insecure voice in your head tells you about who you’re allowed to be.

    If you want to go to a country bonfire and you love the country look, be country.
    If you want to go back to school at forty-seven, be a student.
    If you take a communication class that asks you to keep a blog and find yourself—become a blogger.

    Don’t let the fear of finding yourself define who you are.

    You should always be looking for your next adventure—and when you find it, jump in. Learn about it. Experience it. Try it on and see if it fits. I never would’ve known how much I love wearing Lululemon leggings if I had let the imposter syndrome of “I can’t do that—I don’t do yoga or have the right body” decide that part of me.

    My best advice for anyone who asks?

    Fake it until you make it—if it’s something you want.

    Because in the end, the only person who truly cares if you belong…
    is you.

    And maybe one day, you’ll look back and realize you weren’t faking it at all—you were just learning who you are.

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  • Hello!

    Published by

    tuesdeebarclay

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    My name is Tuesdee and welcome to my blog! When I was a kid and people would ask me, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” It was always the same answer, “I want to be a stay-at-home mom in my hometown.” I never thought it would end up the way it has…

    Dr. Seuss wrote, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”  I feel like my life has been a choose your own adventure story and because of that I have learned so many different things. This blog is my journey into writing these things down. I want to be able to share what I have learned and continue to learn. The importance of trying new things or holding tight to what matters most, and when things aren’t going the way you planned, turn it into an adventure and see where you go next.

    I grew up having small town dreams which turned into big city adventures. My fears of change and the unknown turned into being brave and trying things out of my comfort zone. I’ve learned new skills, I have found new loves, and I have been finding myself along this journey.

    I’m hoping that if you read this blog maybe I can help you learn something or give you the courage to step outside your comfort zone and try something different. Maybe we will take the time to experience something new together, or learn to just be ok with who we are.

    “Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.” -Dr. Seuss

    As I continue to find myself with this blog, I hope my life lessons and experiences can help you take the time to think and discover who you really are. In a world full of influencers I hope we can find the desire to be ourselves. To quote Ralph Waldo Emerson, “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest achievement.” 

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Hello,

I’m Tuesdee

A stay-at-home mother of four daughters whose journey has come full circle. Growing up in a small town, she left school and moved to the city, and has since returned to both her roots and her education—eager to share the life experiences and lessons that shaped her.

  • family
  • Us
  • my girls
  • Hometown
  • High School Graduation
  • our first house
  • Our home just outside Phoenix AZ
  • Home in the City
  • Home in the city
  • Learning to Grown,
  • Portugal
  • Germany
  • Turkey
  • Engalnd
  • France
  • Spain
  • Australia
  • Grand Canyon
  • NYC
  • Canada
  • Mexico
  • Turkey
  • Bulgaria
  • Scotland
  • Scotland
  • Germany
  • Austria
  • Moving back to small town life.
  • Our Home
  • our homestead
  • Our Homestead
  • Cisco & Poncho
  • my best friends :) Tripp & Ranger
  • northern lights over my barn
  • 2nd time northern lights were visible
  • all of us back to school
  • Online School
  • Back to School, Online

Let’s connect

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