Sweet N Social

Tag: present path

  • How Choosing Joy Over Hustle Changed Everything for Me

    How Choosing Joy Over Hustle Changed Everything for Me

    There was a time when I believed that showing up meant always being available. I thought it was necessary for meetings, for others, and for opportunity. But what I’ve learned since then is that showing up for myself is just as important.

    Back in 2021, I skipped a networking meeting to go running. I even logged in, ready to join, but the link wouldn’t let me in. I took it as a sign — not of failure, but of redirection. So I laced up and ran 6.7 miles instead. As I ran, I thought about how long it had taken to build that habit. Why was I so quick to drop something that nourishes me for something that drains me?

    That question has followed me through the years. It showed up again when I missed a Zoom meeting. I was exploring Muir Woods while house sitting in San Francisco this year. It appeared again when I chose to wander a new city instead of logging into another call. In each instance, I realized I wasn’t skipping responsibility; I was redefining it.

    In a world that celebrates the hustle, choosing joy can look like weakness. But joy is what keeps me in motion. Networking feeds my business, but walking, running, and exploring feed my spirit. I’ve learned that both matter — but only one keeps me whole.

    Sometimes, the real work isn’t in the meeting I miss; it’s in the moment I choose to live.

    And I’m reminded of something my kind neighbor, Miss Carol, once said:

    “I am choosing to be an active participant in my life.”

    That’s what my guiding light has always been about. It is not just about surviving the pace of life. It is about consciously walking in it.

    Reflection Prompt

    What does being an active participant in your life look like today?

    Author’s Note

    This reflection began as a 2021 journal entry about skipping a meeting to run. It has grown into a reminder about alignment and permission. I have been learning the same lesson in different ways. Each version of me — the runner, the entrepreneur, the walker — learns that joy is not a detour. It’s direction.

    By Tonia Tyler | #ConfidentStrides | Sweet N Social

    If this reflection spoke to you, follow Sweet N Social for more stories. These stories focus on living with intention, walking in confidence, and redefining what success really looks like.

  • Where Hesitation Meets Peace: A Walk in Muir Woods

    Where Hesitation Meets Peace: A Walk in Muir Woods

    I hadn’t planned on visiting Muir Woods that morning.

    I fed the dogs and ensured the house was in good shape. I checked my GPS on a whim. It was only about an hour away. I thought, why not? and decided to make the drive.

    To reach the park, you have to travel down a narrow, winding road for about four miles. The morning was blanketed in fog, and each curve felt a little eerie — beautiful, but unsettling. When I finally reached the bottom and pulled up to the entrance, I realized I had no signal. The park ranger explained that I needed a parking reservation. I would have to drive back up those same four miles to make one.

    So up I went again, through the same twists and turns. For a moment, I thought about not going through with it. The fog, the quiet, and those sharp curves made me nervous. But something in me said, you’ve come this far — follow through.

    At the top, I finally got a signal, made my reservation, and started back down. This time, the fog began to lift. Light filtered through the trees, and what had felt intimidating just minutes earlier now looked peaceful — almost welcoming.

    When I arrived, I parked and stood there for a moment, still unsure if I could handle the trail. Then I saw another woman moving gracefully along in her motorized scooter, smiling and taking in the view. That was all the reassurance I needed. If she could explore, I could walk.

    So I did. I walked about a mile into the forest, surrounded by redwoods that stretched higher than my thoughts. The air was cool and damp — that clean kind of damp with a hint of pine. I stood still, breathing it all in — grateful I hadn’t talked myself out of the experience.

    And crossing the Golden Gate Bridge to get there? That was its own quiet gift — a reminder that sometimes courage starts with a single, spontaneous yes.

    Reflection Prompt:

    When life asks you to travel the same winding road twice, what helps you keep going?

    And who reminds you — even without words — that you’re more capable than you think?

    Author’s Note:

    This reflection began as a spontaneous voice note during a California housesit. That winding road — and the woman in the scooter — reminded me that courage is often quiet. Keeping through isn’t about perfection; it’s about presence. Even when the fog hides the view, steady steps still lead to clarity.

    By Tonia Tyler | #ConfidentStrides | Sweet N Social

    If this reflection spoke to you, follow Sweet N Social for future entries on creativity, courage, and walking through change.

    Want to listen to the mini-conversation this reflection?

    Listen here:https://confidentstridespodcast.com/?p=158