Space

(Friday, April 4, 2025)

There’s so much noise in the world. Some days, I can’t even read the news.

But here I am—in Lyon, on my own.
And I get to turn it all off.

I know I’ll have to turn it back on when I return to the U.S. But for now, I’m giving myself permission to switch it off. To step back. To heal.

Last night, I skipped melatonin on purpose. I’ve had trouble sleeping since high school—often waking up at 4 a.m. or sometimes not sleeping at all. Melatonin used to help, but lately it’s stopped working.

So I tried something different.

I read a light book. Took a long, hot shower. Got into bed early.
And told myself: Relax. Relax. You’re here to heal.

Guess what? I slept better.

Heal. Focus on myself. Do what I truly enjoy.

I’m not pushing myself to study French outside of class. I let myself fully enjoy running or doing yoga every day. I read what I want to read. (Small win: I finished The French Ingredient. The author’s business journey no longer felt like a trigger. That’s progress.)

I’m still working part-time remotely, and I do it diligently. But I work at a pace I can sustain. A pace that works for the team and for me.

I missed home a lot during the first week. But now, I really enjoy being with myself.

Maybe I’m someone who always needs a little extra space. And as I continue to understand myself better through this healing journey, I want to protect that space—not just on solo vacations, but in my everyday life.

Time alone. Time to reset. Time to just be.