Sweet N Social

Tag: walking insights

  • 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.

  • Step Into My World: Reflections, Lessons, and Everyday Joy

    Step Into My World: Reflections, Lessons, and Everyday Joy

    Allow Me to (Re)Introduce Myself

    I’ve been blogging on and off since 2014. Looking back, I noticed a pattern. I’d write for a stretch, then pause. I returned in 2017 and 2018. I picked it back up in 2022 and then paused again. For a while I thought of that as inconsistency. But maybe those were simply the seasons when I needed to pause, think, and process life.

    So today, I want to officially introduce myself.

    My name is Tonia. I’m a retired Army veteran with 20 years of military and leadership experience. I carry those lessons of discipline and resilience into everything I do. Most of my insights come to me while I’m walking. Moving through the world helps me process thoughts. It sparks creativity. It also allows me to see things from new perspectives.

    I’m also a former podcast host. For four years I hosted Coffee with T. It was a conversational space where guests and I explored personal growth, business, and life lessons. That experience taught me the power of authentic dialogue. It also highlighted the value of giving others a platform to share their stories.

    Community is another heartbeat of mine. I organize meetups that bring people together for networking, encouragement, and growth. Whether online or in person, I believe in the magic of people gathering to support each other.

    Of course, life lessons don’t always come from formal roles. Sometimes the greatest insights come from my granddaughter, who reminds me that joy and curiosity are powerful teachers. Other times, they come from everyday adventures. These include house sitting and pet sitting. I’ve learned just as much from wagging tails and quiet purrs as I have from leadership books.

    This blog is where I weave all those threads together. It’s a space for reflection. It offers practical wisdom. It explores what it means to live with confidence and stride ahead with purpose.

    So if you’re new here, welcome. And if you’ve walked with me before, thank you for staying on the journey.