by tryna | Jul 7, 2025 | Digital Nomad
Recent (non-work) accomplishments: got these cute-as-a-button porch rockers like a quintessential North Carolinian.
Last night, when I was drinking my sweet tea from a mason jar, I said “hey y’all” to the neighbors who passed my house. And sometimes I would fan myself and say things like “Lord have mercy, that there boy ain’t right in his head, bless his heart” (probably after watching the news).
Guys, I’m so southern now.
But I digress.
This front porch, along with the back porch, is my favorite place to work and write. Otherwise, what was the point of moving to coastal North Carolina? To burrow in an unused bedroom (or “home office” as the kids say)? I think not.
I do declare, that would be sillier than an old June bug.
Because remote work and life was meant to be savored with a glass of sweet tea from your front porch (or the park, or pool, or anyplace that makes your little heart pitter-patter).
by tryna | Jul 2, 2023 | Digital Nomad
by Tryna Fitzpatrick
🎵 “This little light o’ mine, I’m goin’ let it shine…” 🎵
You might remember this song from your childhood. It’s actually great advice because we successful babes and boys have got to stop dimming our lights to appease others.
What do I mean?
Let me ask you a question…
What do you want right now?
For me – I want to be healthy and fit. I want to travel. I want to write a book.
For you – maybe it’s learn to play pickle ball or fall in love with the man or woman of your dreams.
All too often, we sabotage ourselves because we think we need to justify these desires, especially to those who think we’ve already enjoyed enough success in life. In fact, I’d classify that as one of my principal pet peeves… people who discount my success by telling me that I’m oh-so “lucky” – as if my life has been nothing but a series of winning lotto tickets, four-leaf clovers, and materialized birthday wishes.
As anyone who has experienced success can attest: it has nothing to do with “luck” and everything to do with the blood, sweat, and tears of our sacrifices, our trials and errors, our labor, love, and losses that so often piggyback life’s achievements.
Perhaps it is a sense of guilt that compels us to downplay and justify our wants and desires. Because you can’t possibly have a great husband and kids *and* a successful career, or take amazing vacations *and* live in your dream home, right? Out of guilt we (let’s face it, “we” = women) sometimes dim our lights so others are not blinded by the shine of our successes.
It’s how we mask ourselves in order to blend in with the crowd. Well, I’m here to tell ya – blending with the crowd is not how you bedazzle your dreams.
It doesn’t matter WHY you want a thing – a new career, a bikini bod, a diamond ring, – it only matters that YOU want it.
You don’t need to justify it, apologize for it, or devalue it…
you just need to want it BECAUSE 👏🏼 YOU 👏🏼 WANT 👏🏼 IT 👏🏼
If you want to be rich, be fit, be successful, or just have the extra whip in your double-caff latte – JUST DO IT! (Thanks Nike ✔️) and don’t look back. Because dimming your light is not an option.
So, stop playing it small by dressing down your desires and downplaying your life’s dividends.
Because you never – ever – need justification to shine.
