Where to even begin…
I went through some pretty major life changes over the last year. My perfectly laid out plan went out the window, and it was a year of rediscovering myself, recognizing what was most important to me, and making some really difficult decisions. I was alone for the first time in a decade (an aspect of my life I kept offline and private), and unexpectedly uprooted my entire life to a small mountain town.
So much happened over the span of those twelve months that I could barely process it, let alone share the journey online. I did my best to maintain a facade of pushing through, which after some time, completely drained me. A handful of people noticed changes in my life and kindly reached out offering their prayers and support, but it felt easier to step away from being so present online and heal alone.
In October of last year, I decided to leave the life I once loved in NYC. I never really spoke about why – or where I was going. I wanted to avoid all the questions. I’m a naturally private person, so I decided I would rather people speculate than have to openly share what I was going through. I think it became pretty obvious, but I genuinely appreciated everyone’s support and respect for my privacy.
That brings us to what I refer to as my “Holiday Era.” I truly felt like Amanda Woods moving into a cabin the the woods, hunkering down in Blowing Rock for the holidays and focusing on healing and moving forward. Long-time followers know the cabin belongs to my parents – it’s been a wonderful vacation home to escape to for years. They were kind enough to let me completely move in, make it my own, and rent it until I felt ready to put down roots of my own somewhere. It’s a sweet chapter of my story I will always be thankful happened – a beautiful in-between of my past and future lives that helped me feel like myself again.
So, that brings us to today, the time of new beginnings. Behind the scenes, I’ve been searching for a place in Charleston for months. It has been the plan for quite some time – though I originally thought the move would happen straight from NYC when my lease expired in Feb ’24. A spot popped up over the holidays and I immediately went to take a look. Walking in the front door felt like a breath of fresh air, and the sun beaming in through the windows felt like a warm hug. I knew it was the perfect place to start over and call my own.
Signing that lease was one of the scariest things I’ve ever done – it felt like I was officially confirming I was moving forward and creating a new life. It also felt like the right time to stop being so tight-lipped about the last twelve months, and to stop treating change as something to be ashamed of. While I have no interest in delving into the past, I am excited to have a clean slate, acknowledge that my life looks different, and openly share this next chapter.
I’m truly thankful for the kindness and grace I’ve been shown over the last year from this community. I move to Charleston later this month, and promise I’ll be taking you along for the ride. I can’t wait to show you the new place!
xx
I very recently lived this experience almost exactly. I am on the latter side of my own transition now and it has proven to be a BEAUTIFUL thing. I almost forgot the SPECTRUM of emotions that you phase in and out of. Reading this brought me back. How it all began mixed between feeling hopeful and hopeless. then eventually evolving into EXCITING and HORRIFYINg – all at once…And today, proved to be exactly what i needed. Many blessings on this new phase of your life. It will be more amazing than you can imagine.