If you were a regular visitor—or even just an occasional lurker—over at my old site, Simple Health Source, you might be wondering:
Why the new name? Why the shift in focus?
Well… a lot has changed in my life over the last couple of years. Actually, especially in this past year.
I’ve now lived in Thailand for a full year. And what a year it’s been! A year of big change. Of healing. Of growth. Of fresh starts and new beginnings. A year of reflection, renewal, and asking lots of hard questions about where God is leading me next.
So with this new chapter unfolding, this fresh start in life, I decided my website needed a fresh start too—new name, new perspective, and a refined focus.
What’s Staying the Same (and What’s Evolving)
If you’re wondering, yes – I’m still passionate about health and fitness. That hasn’t changed. While it hasn’t been center stage this past year, it’s always there—still a huge part of who I am and what I value.
One major life re-route, though, has been in my career. After 27 years in the education world in various forms (yes, 27), I’m now teaching ESL full-time online. If you’d told me a few years ago that I’d become an online English teacher, I would’ve smiled politely and asked if you needed more coffee. But here I am—loving it more than I ever imagined. (More on that in a future post.)
Homeschooling is still happening in our home too, although it looks a bit different these days. Gone are the chaotic-but-fun mornings filled with phonics songs, math drills, and spelling bees. These days, I’ve got two teens left in the homeschool nest—one a senior, one in 9th grade—and they mostly manage their own schedules like the capable humans they are. (With a few nudges here and there, of course.)
So Why The Seaside Collective?
As I looked at all these changes and thought about how to align my website with where I am now, I asked myself:
What am I really passionate about?
Teaching. Homeschooling. Health. Fitness. And let’s be real—coffee.
All of it wrapped up with my love for the sea. Whether it’s the Pacific, the Atlantic, or now the Andaman Sea, the ocean has always been my grounding place.
This new site, The Seaside Collective, is a space to share the things that continue to shape my life—and hopefully help you shape yours, too. It’s not about leaving the past behind, but building on it. Learning from it. Growing into what’s next.
So here’s to fresh starts, familiar passions, and unexpected new directions.
I’m glad you’re here.