This blog post is the foundation that provides a little insight to my existence in the now. I’m finally comfortable with acknowledging that it takes work each and every day to slow down, invest in myself through self-care and self-love, and listen to my inner voice guiding me to what is next. And you can’t do that without being present, friends.

If there’s anything that the universe has taught me in the past few years, it is to live in the present and savor every moment.

The only thing certain is change. Life has been such a whirlwind of confusion and questioning since I returned from a year of travel and self-growth. Of course, I expected that on some level because I’ve always had a huge adjustment period after lengthy trip, but this has been NEXT LEVEL…it’s the season of change. AGAIN. I’m re-training my brain to deal with more change and put both feet in the water after going through so much grief and loss.

Meet RACHEL!!! She’s a mover and a shaker and knows how to get S*$% done. Naturally, she’s my kind of gal and we hit it off immediately. ;)

On the go. Making life happen. Creating results for her clients. She is Get Local Content—an innovative digital marketing company that clients can feel good about. Not only do they provide top-notch personalized marketing strategies, but they also donate 10% of net profits to local non-profit groups. How fabulous is that?!

Jake and Bagel are MARRIED!!!! And yes, we are talking about a fabulous four-legged furry couple. Jake was recently diagnosed with lung cancer and decided to live life to the fullest with a bucket list. First off, get hitched on the beach in San Diego.

I've spent the 75% of the past year abroad, traveling the world as a global citizen and creating imagery to tell the story of my journey. Grab your passport and fasten your seatbelt!

When it’s Groundhog day, you have to make the coffee. Again. Again. And again.

I have had a love affair with Germany for years. That is no mystery to most people who know me. Germany is Gemütlichkeit—a special word I adore. It cannot be summarized in a single English word. It is the comfort of an atmosphere and experience more than a physical object or place.

I was so honored that I had the opportunity to create documentary photography of refugees during our visit to their transition homes in the countryside outside Prague. It was one of the most fulfilling days I’ve experienced in a long time. And it was because of the people. 

Back home when simple everyday routines constantly remind me of the absence of my other half, I decided I could go one of two ways…hold on to those for dear life (which in my head seemed incredibly painful) or start to unravel some of those routines to keep the parts that are essential and then begin to release some of the others.

Tucked away in a corner of the main Old Town Prague, Bohemia Paper resides in the historic National Gallery. It seems to be a fitting location for the fine stationery boutique that is steeped in tradition.

So this week, when I had to give myself (while one of my new friends in the We Roam was doing the same for me!) a little pep talk about just going and DOING, I got a message from my friend Kelly in Palm Springs letting me know that my first fine art print SOLD.

The year marker is a mixed bag of shock at how time has passed as well a sense of accomplishment for making it this far without losing my goddamnmind. What is the significance of marking this dark day? I’m not really sure.

Shaking things up. Declaring my independence. Finding myself in this chaos of life. It’s a new chapter I never saw coming. Building Betsy V 2.0. It’s a work in progress. This is my young widow blog about breaking the cycle and searching for a new ‘normal’.

Chapter 2—Vida Passport. New beginnings. New adventures. Embracing life and living in the moment…because that’s all we’ve got.