Full-circle moments and a room full of love

It’s been a bit of a wild start to this beautiful season of life. But underneath the busy, there’s been a quiet, steady undertone to it all, a deep sense of gratitude.

To start, I’ve had the honor of being a guest on several podcasts recently, and I’m still surprised by how much I love this medium. The chats are intimate, one-on-one conversations that feel approachable, even comforting, yet they reach listeners far and wide. 

But this month brought a new kind of experience, my first live interview as an author. Man oh man, was I nervous.

I used to have a truly debilitating fear of public speaking. So it's been a surprising twist of fate to find myself in a chapter of life where that's now part of my job description.

Yet, as I walked into Full Circle Bookstore, I reminded myself of some advice I gave a friend recently: “Everyone here showed up because they support you. They want you to succeed. It’s a friendly room; so, have some fun already.” 

The room I entered was filled with friends from high school and their children, elementary school classmates and their parents, even a former teacher, who profoundly shaped my path.

It felt like a full-circle moment (pardon the pun!), and their love and support made it easy to be myself, slow down and truly take it all in. It even let me join in on the celebration. 

So when Sarah, my conversation partner and lifelong family friend, asked me what the most unexpected joy of this entire book tour has been, my answer came instantly.

Connection.

Connection with readers who feel seen in these pages.
Connection with loved ones from every phase of life.
Connection with my daughter, as we figure out how to travel together, while still making time for play and rest. 
Connection with a clearer vision of the life I’m devoted to creating moving forward.

I’ve still got two more stops on the tour, but I’m holding tight to the intentions I set before it began. Intentions to move with ease, to live with gratitude, and to stay grounded in joy, even when things don’t go as planned. To build a life that feels honest and meaningful. To let go of the pressure to be perfect or perform, and just keep showing up as me.

So, as we all move into another week of summer, I hope you’ll give yourself a moment to pause as well. A moment to look around and celebrate the connections showing up in your life. Be it to others, to your work or to yourself. 

Because the truth is, we don’t have to chase joy when we lean into meaningful connection. We just have to notice it. 

With much love, 

Katherine Rose Woller

P.S. I recently shared a piece with The Mother Chapter about the kind of motherhood I’m choosing. An approach rooted in presence, resilience, and self-trust, not perfection. I’d love to know what it brings up for you, so drop me a note if it resonates.