i've been avoiding writing this

i disappeared for a while. here's why.

i keep waiting to be ready. i’m not ready. i’m doing it anyway.

i was on a walk last year, fresh baby in the stroller and feeling so overwhelmed. it was hot outside, the kind of hot that suffocates you. i needed an outlet. any outlet. enter: substack.

hi, i’m kaylie. i’m 30 years old and a mom to 3 beautiful kiddos and bonus mom to one daughter. i just quit my job as a full-time substance abuse counselor. i just couldn’t do it anymore? i needed something softer. i was so tired of rushing from thing to thing. no room to breathe. so, after a year of going back and forth, i quit. i’m working on slowing down and rediscovering myself as a 30-year-old mom, who is navigating a blended family, mental illness, and so many other things. oh, and im sober. like completely sober. i’m really proud of that.

today, i’m restarting my substack. i stopped being consistent on here a couple months ago. maybe i thought i said everything i had to say, maybe i got caught up in comparing myself to other people. or maybe, i was trying to avoid the kind of clarity that comes from putting pen to paper and setting aside time to reflect. that all ends today. i’m recommitting to myself and writing is a huge part of that. because i have something to say, i have a voice and so much life experience that deserves to be shared.

so, here’s a refresher if you’ve been here, and if you’re new here, welcome :)

some quick facts about me:

• my dad died when i was 9 years old. i didn’t learn the truth about his death until 4 years ago.

• i have 1 sister and 3 stepsiblings. my mom married our next-door neighbor when i was 18 lol

• i had my first child at 19, the day before my 20th birthday. she’s my soul sister.

• i’ve been married and divorced allll in my 20’s. it was crazy.

• i got sober when i was 26 after an insnane night and a stent in rehab. it was the best thing i’ve ever done for myself.

• i recently married my highschool sweetheart in may <3

this newsletter will be about sobriety, grief, and motherhood with a sprinkle of self-development. i’ll blend all my personal knowledge and life experience to share with you. candid and unfiltered. i’m tired of things being sugar coated.

do i have a niche? meh.

i think there are overall themes within my posts, but here, you won’t just hear about the same thing over and over again. it’s giving part reflection and memoir and part self-development. i’m committed to bringing a fresh perspective, truth about difficult topics and a new level of vulnerability with you. i want you to walk away from reading this newsletter feeling seen, inspired, and like you just got done talking to a best friend.

so glad to have you here <3

ps. tell me what brought you here and what’s one thing you want to hear about going forward?