Somewhere Between Comfort and Curiosity
For a long time, I was the kind of person who liked routine.
Not in a boring way. In a safe way.
Routine meant I knew what to expect. I knew how things would go. I knew how my body would react, how my mind would process things, and how my day would unfold.
But somewhere over the last year, something shifted.
Maybe it was healing. Maybe it was curiosity.
Maybe it was simply realizing that growth sometimes requires stepping slightly outside of the version of yourself you’ve always known.
So this past year, I started saying yes to things I probably would have politely declined before. Some of them felt spiritual. Some felt physical. Some felt small but still meaningful.
All of them, in their own way, felt like little doorways into a new version of myself.
Acupuncture
If you had told me a few years ago that I would willingly let someone place tiny needles into my body for wellness, I probably would have laughed.
And yet…here we are.
Acupuncture is a practice rooted in traditional Chinese medicine where very thin needles are placed at specific points on the body. The idea is that these points help restore balance, support the body’s natural healing processes, and regulate energy flow. People often use it for things like stress, pain, hormone balance, and overall wellness.
I first tried acupuncture because of two coworkers whose opinions and judgment I trust with my eyes closed. They constantly raved about how much it helped them with various ailments and injuries.
I’ve had low back pain since my early 20s from years of gymnastics and constant impact on my body. I’ve tried all the things for my pain — heat, ice, medicine, and physical therapy. Nothing completely made it go away.
X-rays eventually revealed that I have a mildly bulging disc at L5, and I realized this discomfort would probably be riding shotgun with me forever. The flare-ups came and went whenever they pleased, and honestly, I hated that.
Until acupuncture, I was mostly just surviving it.
After doing an unreasonable amount of research — in true Tajuana fashion — I fully convinced myself that acupuncture was the answer to better managing my back pain. Plus, my insurance covered it and the copay was affordable.
I remember thinking:
There is absolutely no way I’m voluntarily letting someone stick needles into me.
I was terrified because I had no idea what my pain tolerance would be. Then I had my first session. And immediately became a believer.
I slept like a baby that night. I still go regularly — about once a month — and I’m still hooked. What surprised me most was how calm yet energized I felt afterward.
Not only did my back pain improve significantly, but the frequency of my flare-ups became much more manageable. I also noticed that my mind felt clearer, quieter somehow.
It made me realize that healing doesn’t always look like the things we already understand. Sometimes it looks like trusting a process that’s been helping people for thousands of years.
Reiki Therapy
Reiki was something I had heard about before, but if I’m being honest, I didn’t fully understand it.
Reiki is a form of energy healing that originated in Japan. During a session, a practitioner gently places their hands on or just above the body with the intention of helping balance the body’s energy. Many people use Reiki for emotional healing, stress relief, relaxation, and overall well-being.
Energy work can sound a little mysterious at first.
But the more I leaned into my healing journey, the more curious I became about how our bodies hold onto emotions, stress, and experiences.
During my first Reiki session, I felt deeply seen and heard by the practitioner.
That might sound cheesy, but when you spend so much of your life convincing yourself no one fully understands you, being understood feels significant.
At one point, I got so comfortable that I actually fell asleep. My practitioner quietly stopped talking and simply let me rest.
God bless her for that.
Afterward, I felt lighter.
Like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders and chest.
What surprised me most was how safe I felt during the experience. Nothing I shared was treated as weird or strange, and everything that came through for her was delivered with kindness and grace.
It reminded me that sometimes the internal work we’re doing shows up physically too.
A Psychic Reading
Now this one might make some people raise an eyebrow.
But curiosity won.
A psychic reading is a session where a practitioner uses intuitive abilities to offer insight about different areas of a person’s life. Some people seek readings for guidance, clarity, or reflection around relationships, life decisions, or personal growth.
I scheduled a psychic reading because, honestly, I had always assumed it was fake and “woo woo.” But I also realized my opinion was based on absolutely no firsthand experience.
So I decided to find out for myself.
I went in blind, curious, skeptical, and expecting absolutely nothing.
Instead, I received a surprisingly accurate reading that genuinely intrigued me.
One thing that stayed with me afterward was this:
The world is so loud.
And when we finally create space to quiet the noise, our minds open in ways we don’t always expect.
Whether you believe in psychic readings or not, the experience made me reflect on the importance of getting quiet with myself.
And honestly, sometimes reflection alone is worth it.
Reading Again — In Every Form
One thing that quietly became a much bigger part of my life this year was reading.
Not just occasionally.
But truly coming home to it again.
These days, I read every possible way:
Kindle when I want convenience
Physical books, when I want the feeling of turning pages
Audiobooks when I’m driving, cleaning, or just need to escape into someone else’s story
And lately?
I’ve been reading fantasy.
FANTASY.
What?!
For the longest time, I was a huge skeptic. But naturally, once I finally gave it a chance, I became completely hooked. Some books have made me think deeply. Some have made me cry. Some have simply entertained me when my brain needed a break.
But reading keeps reminding me that stories expand us. They help us see things differently.
And sometimes they help us understand ourselves better, too.
Reformer Pilates
If you’ve ever done reformer Pilates, then you already know:
Those machines look innocent. They are not.
I started reformer Pilates because I never really enjoyed mat Pilates, needed something different in my workout routine, and honestly… because it wasn’t mat Pilates.
The first class made me realize something important:
Apparently, I enjoy voluntarily participating in necessary pain and torture. I love a challenge.
What I didn’t expect was how connected it would make me feel to my body. Muscles I didn’t even know existed suddenly had opinions. But over time, I noticed I was waking up parts of my body that had been dormant for years.
I feel stronger now. Not just physically, but mentally too.
It’s become less about the workout itself and more about the connection between my body and mind.
And honestly, that’s been really powerful.
A Silk Press
This one might sound simple compared to the others.
But sometimes trying something new is as small as doing something different with your hair. I decided to get a silk press because, somehow, as a Black woman, I had never had one before.
When I saw my hair afterward, my immediate thought was:
Why did I wait so long?!
It reminded me that not all growth has to be deep or life-changing. Sometimes change can just be fun. Sometimes it’s simply about allowing yourself to experience something new without overthinking it.
What This Season Has Taught Me
If there’s one thing I’ve learned this past year, it’s this:
Growth doesn’t always come from huge life changes. Sometimes it comes from small yeses.
Yes to trying something unfamiliar. Yes to curiosity. Yes to experiences that stretch you just a little beyond your comfort zone. Some of the things I tried this year might remain part of my life. Some may have simply been experiences meant for one season.
But either way, they reminded me of something important: I’m still becoming.
Still learning. Still discovering new layers of myself.
And honestly? That feels pretty exciting.
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