A Blog Reborn: The Journey of YES

Each time I’ve changed my life, it started the same way – with a small yes. 

And often with a new blog. So here goes.

Am I changing my life again? Yes.

What exactly did I say yes to?  Some ambiguity, a little uncertainty, a bit of fear… but also courage, adventure, growth, time, challenge, and some faith.

I have ideas. I’ve planted a few seeds. I don’t have a map or a forecast. I am pursuing a life full of things that I enjoy doing – things I have done well and things I have never done before, but wanted to. I’m building a life that gives me room to live well-rounded. A life that allows me to prioritize growth and love and discovery.

What am I saying here? I have made the announcement that this is my last year as Head of School at St. Croix Montessori. I have loved this job:  the people, the mission, the growth, the challenges and triumphs. I feel so much gratitude that I had the opportunity to be part of this little island school’s journey.

Now I am saying yes to the next step in my journey.

So, what will that be? I don’t have all the answers about that, and honestly, that’s a little scary. 

But there is something exhilarating about walking straight toward the fear, isn’t there?

What do I know? On July 1st, 2026, I will no longer hold my current title. My contract as Head of School will conclude. I am learning again. I am stretching and dreaming.

Grant writing, beta reading, and copy editing have entered the picture in the small step of signing up for courses and learning more. My new LLC, Your Education Solutions (YES), has been born.

I am beginning something new, and I am giving it room to grow in the direction that feels right.

What I haven’t said out loud yet is how much of my identity is wrapped up in the role I’m leaving. I will miss being the person who’s building something meaningful for this island—a school shaped by deep care for children and families, guided by a commitment to the whole child, and rooted in community. 

I will miss the safety of an office with my name on the door, a team alongside me and a regular paycheck. 

And yes, it bothers me more than I’d like to admit to be seen as “starting over.” In our society, success is often measured as forward momentum along a clearly defined path. Leaving a job I love without a fully formed next step doesn’t fit that narrative, and I’m aware that it may not look like progress or success from the outside. It’s uncomfortable to admit how much I notice that judgment, even as I move forward anyway.

But maybe this isn’t starting over at all. Maybe it’s carrying forward what I’ve learned and trusting it to take a new shape. In my life, when I’ve opened a door in the past, even if I wasn’t sure what was on the other side, I have walked into a better life. 

As I started thinking about starting a new blog for this leg of my journey, I decided to visit my old website: tracylaughs.com (which I haven’t visited in years), to see where I left off. And this is what I saw:

This. A reminder from a former version of myself. A breadcrumb from where I’ve been, and a beacon to where I’m going. My former self nudging my current self to “Remember my own journey.” And so, I said yes.

This blog isn’t a grand declaration.
It’s a small yes.

A yes to paying attention.
A yes to telling the truth about being in between chapters.
A yes to travel, transition, learning something new, and letting the story unfold instead of pinning it down.

I don’t know exactly where this journey leads.

But I know this much: I’ve learned to trust the small yes.
It’s never steered me wrong yet.