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October 2026 - Travel and the Power of Enough-ness
Last month was a lifetime memory moment for me! Traveling with 11 women to Croatia, and then heading to Montenegro on a scouting adventure, was the culmination of a dream I didn't even know I had until I was living it. Thank you doesn't feel big enough.
As s a high school student on an international band trip, I couldn't have predicted the impact it would have on me. For 25 years since, I've been learning the art (and it IS an art!) of planning the perfect getaway.
Along the way, I've also been on my own journey of meaning and spirituality, one that has led me to yoga, meditation, and a deeper curiosity about how our beliefs and practices shape the way we experience life here on Earth. I've come to appreciate that, no matter what we believe, there are some universal truths about connection, spaciousness, and contemplation that can make this sometimes very difficult life a little easier on the mind, body, and soul.
And I've found very few things more powerful for creating that space than travel. The beauty, awe, and wonder of discovering somewhere new, with distance from how we "usually" do everything has a way of opening us up to ourselves, to others, and to the world around us.
When I decided to be brave last year and offer my first group travel experience, I'm not sure I could have imagined just how wonderful it would be. So much of that was because of the amazing people who joined us, and my wonderful partners, Nika and Eat, Pray, Move.
We wandered the streets of Old Town Dubrovnik, took a private speedboat to an island beach club, and ferried to Mljet National Park, where we walked, hiked, and swam in the most beautiful blue waters. We spent a day at a luxurious spa, ate SO much delicious food, and made space for gentle yoga, meditation, and reflection in the mornings.
And my favorite part of it all? How much we LAUGHED. So much laughter! And laughter is so healing.
Our group connected early on through a shared desire for authenticity, a willingness to create space for ourselves and each other, and an openness to all the ways we are unique, yet so often asking the same questions about life.
I really believe the people who were there were meant to be there. Hearing how our time together inspired small shifts, new questions, meaningful connections, and a sense of renewal has made every moment of planning worthwhile.
In fact, I loved it SO much that I realized I never want to do this more than once (or maybe twice!) a year. I want these experiences to remain something I do for the pure joy of it, rather than something that becomes another career.
That realization was a gift, too. Giving myself permission to let something simply be beautiful, enough, without needing to grow it, expand it, or "do more" with it, felt like a breath of fresh air.
Which brings me to our next adventure: Costa Rica 2027!
It's probably no surprise that Costa Rica is our next destination. I've spent so much time there over the years, and especially recently, that it has become more than a special place in my heart -- sometimes I think it's where my actual heart lives.
Along the way, I've developed wonderful friendships and partnerships, including with an incredible woman named Marian Paniagua a yoga teacher, healer, and ceremonial practitioner with experience leading cultural and restorative travel retreats. I'm so excited that we'll be partnering to create our next Wander & Wonder experience together!
You can read all about the retreat here, and if you're feeling called to join us, you can sign up here for early notification (if you haven't already!).
We'll offer registration to past guests first, followed by our early notification list, and then open any remaining spaces to the public. We'll also have a limited number of private room upgrades, so if having your own space is important to you, I encourage you to sign up early!
And Villa Selah — last but certainly not least!
Ryan and I are so grateful for the wonderful response to the launch of our Costa Rica home on Airbnb. December and January are already pretty booked, and February is starting to fill in, too!
I've also had the joy of planning three trips for guests staying at the house and at our partner location in the rainforest. Introducing people to the magic of Costa Rica, and helping them experience the places and people I've come to love, has been such a gift.
You can find more information about renting Villa Selah here, and of course, reach out if you'd like help planning your own Costa Rica adventure. Through the relationships we've built with local friends and partners, I can help create a thoughtfully planned experience that takes the stress out of traveling somewhere new, often without adding to the cost of your trip.
And with that, take GOOD care of yourselves this fall season. I'm taking things day by day and trying not to get too far ahead of myself.
I'll let you know if that keeps working. 😉
Love you all!
August 2026 - The Places That Change Us
Travel has shaped my adult life in a way that I'm just coming to understand. While I've had plenty of bucket list adventures and enjoyed them immensely, the most meaningful travel has become about stepping outside my routines long enough to remember what matters and how to bring that home to my every day life. It's about lingering over a meal, enjoying coffee on the terrace as the sun lights up the sky, wandering a quiet beach without an agenda, sharing conversations with people who see the world differently, and returning home feeling more like myself than when I left.
That understanding has been quietly shaping The Common Thread over the last year, and this season there is so much happening that I'm excited to share. If you follow @thecommonthreadconnections on Instagram you won't miss a thing!
First, we're opening the doors to Villa Selah -- our home in Costa Rica. More than a place to stay, it's a place to slow down, reconnect, and discover one of the most extraordinary corners of the world. I've traveled to 23 countries at this point, and Costa Rica is by far my favorite place in the world. I'm beyond excited to support our guests in uncovering the slower pace, hidden beaches, local restaurants, wildlife, and experiences that have made us fall in love with this community.
I'll also be sharing updates about our upcoming Croatia journey, where 11 amazing women will be joining me to explore Dubrovnik and the incredible food, nature, beaches, and culture found in this stunning landscape. Croatia has more than 1,000 islands, crystal clear blue waters, centuries-old architecture and a rich culture.
Last but absolutely not least, in October we'll be opening up our small group restorative travel to Costa Rica, where we'll spend 8 days between the rain forest and the beaches -- swimming in waterfalls, experiencing the incredible wildlife, eating beautiful and delicious cuisine prepared by a private chef, and exploring the beautiful traditions of the indigenous Costa Rican heritage. I have met a truly sacred soul in Marian Paniagua - a healer and magical woman -- and we are partnering on this experience. You can find her IG here if you want to get to know her ahead of time! It will be an incredible experience to be sure. If you'd like the opportunity to register before the trip goes live, you can sign up here!
Whether you travel to Villa Selah, join me for a small-group journey, or support my work on social media as I grow The Common Thread to help people everwhere live and travel with intention and connection, I'm grateful for you. 💜
April 2026
April 2026
April 2026 Newsletter
April 2026 - Growth and Container Expansion
Villa Selah
My last update was in December and so much has evolved in a very short window! My husband Ryan came with me to Costa RIca for the first time, and we shared the experience I've had every time. Costa Rica has become so special to me. Beyond the physical beauty of the rain forest, volcanos, waterfalls and beautiful beaches, the incredibly kind community draws me in. The food is delicious and the energy is generous. Costa Ricans take care of each other, their resources, and the nature that sustins life. Simplicity and enough-ness paired together naturally regulates my system. I had always hoped to retire there someday, and at some point during that trip we decided not to wait until retirement to become part of this beautiful community -- not to wait when the future isn't promised.
We returned in February and found a home, and by that I truly mean home. Villa Selah is the name, which translates to 'sacred pause', and it will be that -- for us and for our Common Thread community. Villa Selah is located in a small town in the Guanacaste region, nestled in a small town within 12 minutes of 3 different beaches, many restaurants, and within 30 miles of larger communities and more beaches! We'll spend a few weeks a year there as a family, and the rest of the year we want to share it! I have been fortunate to create some incredible relationships and connections to adventures, healers, and delicious cuisine, so I'd like to start offering our home as a base for a self-led curated travel experience. It's a way for me to share in the travel experiences that have shaped my life so deeply many more times than trips I could host with time away from the full-time role that I love. We are going down in May to set things up, and you can sign up here to be the first to know when Villa Selah is ready for visitors!
I Do Love the Word And. AND...
There are so many new things happening -- a couple of upcoming local workshops, I was invited to a podcast, the house purchase and all that entails, I'm taking a full group to Croatia, I'm planning a group trip to Costa Rica next year, and... that's a lot of things! None of them existed in my mind one year ago today, and if I had tried to imagine a container big enough to hold all this in addition to a job that I love, and my family -- my most important thing -- I would have told you there is no way. Add that to all the uncertainty of living in these times, and I don't know how it's all coming together the way it is, but I can see it happening so I know it's real!
It's coming together in unexpected and lovely ways that I couldn't have arranged if I thought I knew what was best instead of taking each step as it comes. It's not easy, and there are days when it feels like too much. And, then I remember to let whatever I'm feeling be true. My heart rate slows a little, I take a deep breath, I remember how to look for one thing I could do that feels right or warm. And that one thing leads to another right thing. I'm learning (slowly!) to trust when my body or my inner wisdom is trying to tell me something, and when I do amazing things happen. Sometimes the amazing thing is an idea for how to do less without feeling less. Every time it works I'm knocked off my feet. 'm so grateful for the practices that have allowed my container to expand and to allow in all these beautiful opportunities. I am so excited to share them with you all!
Find something that makes you feel warm and then find a way to say yes to it. Big love!
December 2025
December 2025
The Common Thread Updates
December 2025
A Moment of Pause
Something Lindsay Leahy shared in our first workshop has stayed with me: Knowing something doesn’t mean I have to do something.
I feel myself take a deep breath when I repeat it.
I’ve avoided knowing certain things in the past — consciously or unconsciously — because I wasn’t ready for action. As the year draws to an end, I'm giving myself permission to be curious about what might be true, without immediately needing to fix or change anything, and it has created more space and freedom to stay present with how I'm feeling.
This practice is unfolding for me in meaningful ways! If it resonates with you too, I’d love for you to join Jessie Alex and me on January 6th. We’ll explore the idea of stories in an uplifting, grounded way, using simple tools to help you stay connected to yourself and your leadership.
A Moment of Gratitude
This new chapter has been creatively energizing — an opportunity for deep gratitude -- and also humbling. Beginning something new comes with many experiences: moments of excitement, of hope, and also flashes of insecurity and fear.
I’m grateful for the people who have normalized all of this for me. People who love me and remind me that these feelings aren’t warnings — they’re invitations. Another opportunity for curiosity.
I don’t know exactly where this path leads, and maybe I’m not meant to yet. I’m letting that be an open question.
For now, the journey itself — the curiosity, the unfolding, the “what if” — is enough. MOST of the time anyway (I'm still human too!).
The Holidays: The Most Time of the Year!
Oh the holidays! Glennon Doyle calls it “the most time of the year,” and I have come to appreciate that framing deeply.
There is so much beauty and love in this season. It can be the most wonderful time of the year. And also… the most expectations. The most lights, the most schedules, the most family, and — if you’ve lost someone — the most grief.
So if you find yourself feeling everything all at once, or a little empty or overwhelmed, you’re not doing it wrong. You are feeling it all, and that’s exactly right.
My hope for all of us is to allow ourselves space for every feeling, and maybe that alone makes room for a little more joy.
And remember this is your holiday too! If you find yourself dreading something, ask what small change might create more space or ease. We have made some meaningful micro changes over the last few years to our holiday season that have allowed more joy in this season, and small changes are the kind that stick. Happy holidays friends!
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