LIVING UNTAMED

Choosing a word is one thing. Living with it is another.

My word is untamed, and I’ve been carrying it with me quite literally. I made myself a ring with the word stamped into it so I can see it throughout the day. I can also feel it on my finger, the weight of it. That physical reminder helps me pause, not to judge myself, but to notice.

This experience is not clean or perfect. I don’t wake up every day fully embodying it. Some days, I remember it in the moment. Other days, I notice only after I’ve already fallen back into old patterns. That’s part of it. The word isn’t a rule; it’s something I return to.

What I’m noticing most is how often I tame myself for other people. I adjust my tone. I explain more than I need to. I try to make things easier or more comfortable before anyone even asks me to.

When I catch it, I’ve started asking myself :
Why am I doing this?
Is it about not wanting to make someone uncomfortable?
Am I afraid of someone being mad?
Am I trying to please?
Am I explaining something that doesn’t actually need an explanation?

Sometimes I catch it in real time. Sometimes I don’t. And that’s okay. Living with a word means you’ll miss it sometimes. The work is in noticing and choosing again, not in being perfect.

People-pleasing runs deep for me. I know that. And this feels less like breaking a habit and more like slowly peeling back layers I built a long time ago.

Alongside this personal shift, my work is shifting too. I’m still making jewelry, but I’m starting to shape it into something that reflects more of who I am and what I care about : building real relationships, creating meaningful impact, and drawing on my background in behavior change without the rigid, scientific framework.

Less about compliance. More about awareness.

I’m not ready to say exactly where this is going yet. I know it’s taking shape.

For now, I’m paying attention. I’m letting the mistakes be part of the process. And I’m continuing to practice what it looks like to live untamed—one imperfect choice at a time.