For a long time, I loved capturing small moments in words and photos. Reflecting in written words on the quiet, ordinary, and sanctifying moments in life has always been a sort of prayer to me. I mostly did this on social media (Instagram), but when that began to disrupt those daily moments of life, I knew I needed to withdraw. At the time, it was a calling for more silence—both in my own head but also in what I share. When things start to become too curated, the beauty of the ordinary tends to disappear.
I needed that break and I relished every minute of it. Still, a stirring in me to share my writing continued on. Over the years, I tried coming back to writing more than once, opening this blog only to lose momentum. What I realized time and time again was that it wasn’t for lack of desire holding me back, but simply a lack of bandwidth. With the birth of our fifth baby, life continued to get fuller, and the space and time for writing and reflecting was limited.
With my little one now walking and sleeping through the night, I’m ready to start again—small and steady—returning to that gentle rhythm of sharing little reflections without pressure or noise.
And so, with my first post, this is my invitation to you and to myself, to begin again with grace.
What I am learning is that starting again doesn’t have to be big or noisy, and it definitely doesn’t have to be perfect. Here are a few things I have learned:
1. Starting Over is Not Failure
Part of taking this step and putting my work back on the internet for all to see is really an act of bravery for me. It sounds dramatic, but I have genuinely wrestled with countless doubts—whether or not it’s worth it, and thoughts of how I might just start again to have to pause again (who knows where life will take me, after all?).
But the things is: if there is a stirring in your heart to do, share, or act on something…it is most likely the Lord commissioning you. He gives us personal talents (see Matthew 25:14-30) and he calls us to put these gifts to good use. If you fail to start—or begin again—you are essentially burying those gifts in the sand. This isn’t good for anyone, and it isn’t pleasing to Him. He desires to see you thrive and help grow the Church using the specific charisms he’s given to you.
If you are too afraid—held back by the fear of failure—you’re already failing. Pray about what God is calling you to do, ask for clarity (and bravery), and just begin.
If you need to pause and begin again due to your season of life, that is not failure. All of this is the process of discerning where God is leading you.
2. Small Steps Lead to Steady Progress
I struggle sometimes with even beginning because I fear looking foolish or unpolished. But there is grace is the messiness of taking your first steps!
This all started with me embracing the small doses of creativity instead of pushing for big, overwhelming projects. A little writing here and there again, and my creativity began to flow…You’ll know you are on the right track if you experience the exhilaration of beginning again—no matter how small.
3. Creating Can Be Quiet and Intentional
I have gone back and forth on whether or not to return to my original platform for sharing. Yet, the noise on social media has gotten so much louder—I definitely don’t want to contribute to that. I have no intention of making tons of reels—I need a quiet creative spot, with little pressure and much less noise.
Still…each time I mentioned to someone that I was working on a blog, guess what they said: “Does anyone even read blogs anymore?” (Dagger to the heart! Ha!)
To be honest, I’m not sure (enter…Substack to counterbalance that notion), but what I am sure is that in my current state of life I need to contrast the noisy, fast-paced social media world with my continued desire for a calm, thoughtful space—for me, and for anyone that craves the same through my words.
So, if you are feeling called to something, be sure it doesn’t need to be seen or totally curated to be meaningful. God blesses our efforts, no matter what they look like. Approaching your calling with quietness and intentionality is more than ok.
4. Honor Your Capacity
I absolutely believe that God calls us to do different things at different times. When He distributed the talents in Matthew 25, He gave each man an overabundance—three year’s worth of wages! Imagine what you could do if the Lord gave you a three years’ worth of wage? How many beautiful, wonderful things could we accomplish?
At times we might put that “money” to good use out in the world—helping others through big projects and events. Other times, perhaps we simply use the gifts to help those closest to us—those right within our very circle.
When our life expanded and grew with our fifth baby, it meant taking a step back from my work and from the some of the things that the Lord had so strongly placed on my heart. I have a love for sharing the faith—for going out and helping others discover it (this is why being an RCIA minister for so many years suited me well). But I also felt strongly, at the time my son was born, to take a step back. To find the peace and strength that comes from blocking out the other things for a while in order to pour myself into what was right in front of me—the most important thing.
In life, you’ll find that the Lord calls you to do different things. If you are already “full” or overwhelmed by life’s demands, that’s more than ok. Putting your talents to use involves the prayerful process of ensuring it is the proper time. If it’s not, give yourself some grace and know that seasons change.
5. Connection Doesn’t Have to Be Loud
I have to be honest: there is a small part of me that feels like maybe I should start making reels and keeping up with others in order to be heard. (What if I am just writing into the void!? What if the algorithm won’t allow any of my hard work to be seen!?)
In light of this, I have to continuously remind myself and take this to prayer: authentic connection is what matters most…even in small, slow ways.
One of the biggest things taking a step back from the online world afforded me at the time was the ability to further embrace my role in the physical Church I belonged to—especially through my work. My presence and love for people God placed in my life expanded. I truly believe it made me a better listener and more attentive to the people around me.
I don’t think I would have experienced this growth if I had continued pursuing a “connection” with a broader, online audience at the time. The noise was getting noisier and the voices were multiplying.
This teaches me now that I don’t need to try to “keep up” to make this meaningful. I just need to be true to what the Lord is calling me to do—whatever that ends up looking like and whoever it reaches.
Thank you for being part of this journey and for being here as I begin again! If you feel motivated and inspired by this at all, perhaps it’s your turn to embrace the calling God has placed on your heart.
Begin again—with grace.
Some Reflection Questions
How do you connect authentically in a world that often feels loud and fast?
When have you felt like starting over was a failure? How can you reframe that?
What small creative or personal steps can you take today to move forward in what God has put on your heart to do?
How do you create space for quiet and intentional moments in your life? What does your prayer life look like?
What does your current bandwidth look like? How can you honor it?
The Catholic Commons 
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