I'm Doing It!

Mar 29, 2026

I don’t really know how I feel about manifesting. A lot of the time, I think I’m just putting hope and faith out into the universe, but the universe picks and chooses which of those to bring to fruition. Like every time I am about to go on a first date, a small part of me is of course hoping it’s the last first date, but clearly that hasn’t pulled through yet.

Things like that make me doubt manifestation. Where vision boards just kind of become pretty collages of sorts, but nothing tangible spins out of them.

The other side of me lately, through The Artist’s Way, has been leaning into being grateful for the things that do happen and having faith those were the ones that were meant to be, while the other hopes were fleeting goals. Also, usually after a couple of nights of sleep those goals do feel quite fleeting and are quickly forgotten (if not realized existential messages).

BUT maybe something has been working lately because the life I envisioned for myself is one I’m…living?! Even while on FaceTime with Jackie and Max this morning outlining my Sunday agenda for them they commented on how lovely my routine and time in Charlottesville is panning out to be.

I really feel it too - granted Sunny doesn’t love her weekday-morning loop as much as Central Park quite yet, but the routine I’ve been committing myself to is so nourishing. Sounds kind of cheesy when I write that word as my chosen adjective, but it’s true.

I live in a place where I can lean into the slow life I was craving in NYC, without feeling like I’m alone on an island. I get to prioritize my yoga class schedule (it’s kind of shocking how inflexible I am given my commitment the last couple of weeks, but alas), trail walks with Sunny, and just giving myself a bit of extra time whenever I’m not working. It sounds really simple, but stepping out of NYC has allowed me to start this new chapter with a clean slate and literally no opinions from people as to what I should be doing with my days.

Just yesterday, after a morning matcha and FaceTime with Jackie and the kiddies (Lila was upset and the other thing that stopped her from crying was seeing Sunny. I wish I could say it was me, but my dog is her favorite. She’s a dog-lover girlie), I wandered to the Farmer’s Market picking up tons of produce, flowers, a whole chicken which I’m testing a new recipe on tonight, and a bone for Sunny. Then I slowly moved through my yoga class, ran some much-needed errands, grabbed dinner with my neighbor and was in bed by 9PM. It was fantastic. And this is the type of day I get to live everyday in Cville! This is exactly the type of daily-access/living I was looking for. Hoping for. And I’m doing it!

Of course there are moments when I miss my real friends, and the small talk or introductory talk gets a bit mundane. And I’m only three weekends into Cville living, but I can tell I made the right decision taking this leap.

I started 2025 with a goal of really considering leaving NYC by the end of 2026 and making it happen. And I did, and so far, I’m not regretting this path.

So maybe manifestation does work?

Total Post Script note here, but just because it’s not all rainbows and butterflies here in Cville, and theres one part of the path I have quite regretted. I was picking up a FB Marketplace piece the other day and it took me out by the Blue Ridge Tunnel Trail. I had read about this trail and saw Farmington CC was running a group hike there, so figured it could be cool to check out with Sunny since I was already out that way. Obviously, I lack attention to detail as you all know and did zero research on the trail beyond seeing it on a few lists. We meandered like half a mile up the trail to the tunnel entrance where I could tell it was a very straight tunnel and I could see the other end far off in the distance. I hesitated for a second, and then really hesitated when I saw a snake at the entrance. And this was a fat snake, not like a little skinny thing. I just actually googled VA snakes to see and read that most are venomous and now I don’t want to read anymore. Thankful I didn’t know this as I passed the snake at the tunnel entrance. I’m gagging as I write this - I don’t like snakes.

Do you know what I dislike even more than snakes?! BATS. Thanks to Alana sharing her attack of one in her childhood bedroom years ago. I have a deep, deathly fear of bats. My heart is racing just writing about them. Ironically, the last time I can remember being in a true tunnel/cave situation was on a couples trip in Mexico when we went swimming through the cenotes. And there were bats. I remember freaking out and suffering through most of the swim-tour by closing my eyes and holding onto my ex-boyfriends lifejacket so he could guide me through the enclosed spaces.

This time the only support I had was Sunny though, who is useless. I held her leash tight and decided we’d jog through the tunnel. Quickly, I realized why there were so many signs on the trail saying “don’t forget your flashlight!” or “make sure you had a headlamp”! I stupidly thought that just meant it was a pretty night-time hike.

I started jogging, immediately realized I would need my phone flashlight on to see anything and kind of saw another flashlight moving a bit ahead. Screaming “HELLO?! HELLO?!” out of fear it was people who would kill me in the tunnel, I probably looked like the crazy one to those hikers. The tunnel jog felt very long and the light on the other side didn’t seem to get closer that quickly! Also, I hate running. I talked to Sunny the whole time, telling her how scared Mommy was and that she was a very good emotional support buddy. I didn’t look up once and my flashlight solely focused on the dirt path in front of me. I’m sure I was surrounded by bats. Vomit.

We made it to the other side and this woman told me it was over four thousand steps and about a mile long. I would have to go back through this tunnel to get to my car again. At least on the way back I knew it was a mile long, so couldn’t be more than a 10 minute jog for me (yes, I am that slow at running).

Anyways, I felt like a conquered a fear doing that and will never return to this trail. Nothing crazy happened, the snake didn’t bite me, and I didn’t see any beady bat eyes, but I was was very scared and still powered through an experience that dramatically made my heart race.

I’ll have to filter AllTrails going forward for tunnels.

Some recap photos below. Recipe for great meatballs found here (subbed breadcrumbs for almond flour).