What the Tinman Already Has

If you are trying to build self-trust, work through old patterns, or care for yourself with more intention, you do not have to do it alone

I pulled my old copy of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz off the shelf today. It has many bent corners. I was not sure which page to revisit until I landed on the one where the Tin Woodman finally receives his heart:

Oz opened the Tin Woodman’s chest, placed a silk heart inside, and patched the tin where he had cut it.

“I’m sorry I had to put a patch on your breast,” he said.

“Never mind the patch,” the Woodman replied. “I shall never forget your kindness.”

I dog-eared this page in my twenties. At the time, I thought I marked it because of heartbreak. Now I see something different.

The Woodman’s heart mattered to him only if it was a kind one.
He welcomed the patch.
He chose to believe the process would not hurt.
And he trusted help when he needed it.

Those choices take strength.
They also take support.

If you are trying to build self-trust, work through old patterns, or care for yourself with more intention, you do not have to do it alone. I am here when you are ready.

A Routine to Start with Wonder

When I worked as an educator, my days ran on structure. Classes gave shape to the hours. Routine kept my mind steady and helped me stay organized.

Now that my work looks different, I protect a small morning ritual to keep that steadiness. I start the day with a short Tai Chi sequence. It grounds me even when life feels busy.

That routine came to mind when I opened a dog-eared page in The Tao of Pooh and landed on this conversation between Pooh and Piglet:

“When you wake up in the morning, Pooh,” said Piglet at last, “what’s the first thing you say to yourself?”

“What’s for breakfast?” said Pooh. “What do you say, Piglet?”

“I say, I wonder what’s going to happen exciting today?”

Pooh nodded thoughtfully.

“It’s the same thing,” he said.

There is something refreshing about starting the day with simple curiosity.

A small moment of openness.

A gentle way to set the tone before responsibilities take over.

If you are navigating change or rebuilding routines of your own, you can start with one repeatable action each morning. It does not have to be elaborate. It only needs to help you step into the day with a steadier mindset.

If you want help building that structure in a way that works for your life, I am here.

When You Know Something Needs to Change, But You’re Not Sure What to Do Next

There’s a moment many women reach—quietly, often privately—when the life they’ve been managing no longer feels like the life they want. Nothing dramatic has to happen. Sometimes it’s subtle. A shift. A tug. A question you can’t seem to quiet. You wake up in the morning, move through your familiar routines, and feel a small ache of knowing: This isn’t quite right anymore.

If this sounds close to home, you’re not alone. Many women in transition experience this early sense of change long before they feel ready to act on it. Let’s slow down and unpack what might be happening underneath.

1. You’ve been carrying more than people realize

Women often move through life with remarkable steadiness, even when things feel wobbly on the inside. You support your family, your workplace, your community. You anticipate needs before they appear. You adjust. You absorb. You cope.

But at some point, your internal bandwidth reaches its edge.

You might notice:

• a heaviness you can’t quite name

• irritation at small things that never bothered you

• a sense that you’re “going through the motions”

• a desire to withdraw, not because you want less, but because you need a moment to breathe

These early signs are not failures. They’re information.

2. You don’t feel as connected to yourself as you once were

This is one of the most common experiences women share during transitions. Life asks for a lot—caregiving, partnership, work, emotional labor—and it’s easy to lose track of the parts of yourself that once felt unmistakably you.

You may ask:

• When did I stop feeling excited about my own goals?

• Why do decisions feel harder than they used to?

• Why do I keep postponing the things that matter to me?

Reconnection happens gradually, and often begins with a small moment of honesty:
“I’m ready for something different.”

3. Your confidence dips—not because you lack ability, but because you’ve been overextended

When you’ve spent years prioritizing others, your own needs can feel unfamiliar.

• You second-guess what you want.

• You doubt your next step.

• You hesitate to trust your own judgment.

This doesn’t mean you’re lost.It means you’ve been giving from a place that needs replenishing. A transition is less about becoming someone new and more about returning to yourself with clarity and intention.

4. You sense that change is coming, but you don’t have a plan for it yet

This is the space many women find themselves in—the in-between. Not unhappy, but not fulfilled.
Not stuck, but not moving. Capable, but unsure where to start.

• You don’t need a five-year roadmap.

• You don’t need a fully formed plan.

• You don’t need to have everything figured out.

You just need a direction.

5. You know you want more ease, more meaning, and more steadiness in your days

Most transitions aren’t about dramatic reinventions. They’re about wanting:

• more alignment

• more clarity

• more choice

• more of yourself in your own life

And when you begin to name what you want, even quietly, you create space for your next chapter to take shape. If this resonates, you may be closer to change than you think. You don’t have to make a big leap. You don’t have to overhaul your life.

Sometimes the first step is simply acknowledging what you’re feeling and giving yourself permission to explore it.

To help you reflect gently and at your own pace, I created a guide that walks you through early signs of meaningful life change and gives you space to consider what you might want next.

Get the guide here: “5 Signs You’re Ready for a Major Life Change”

It might help you hear yourself more clearly.