Day 18:

Sometimes the spark isn’t chaos. Sometimes it’s just light.

Today was mostly about the cats — but maybe not just the cats.

Lux is new. A little alpha. A little unsure. Possibly disruptive to the house dynamics. Which… is also how I’ve been feeling lately — like I’m trying to integrate this more confident, creative version of myself into a life that’s already in motion.
Apparently you can’t just drop an alpha female into the group chat and expect peace.

Shadow and Chip welcomed her faster than expected. Shadow was basically Chip’s emotional support kitten. Lux… not so much. Chip thinks every living thing is a playmate. Lux thinks she’s auditioning for Succession.

And while she’s still feeling things out, there’s something about her presence that feels symbolic. I’m watching myself in her — bold and beautiful, but still scanning the room to see if I’m too much.

And yet — even in the swirl of new energy — today didn’t throw me off. I didn’t spiral or abandon everything else I’ve been building. That’s the part I want to remember.
For once, the spark came with a dimmer switch.
The obsession impulse is still there — I just managed to give it a snack instead of the whole pantry.

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Here’s what I actually did today:

• ☑ Wake + water + salt
• ☑ Journal (calibrate, not spiral)
• ☑ Pilates/weights
• ☐ Walk/vibration plate (skipped today)
• ☑ Deep work block (headphones + timer)
• ☑ Lunch regroup
• ☑ Blog/reel done
• ☐ Night ritual (skipped today)

Not perfect, still progress.
Turns out consistency doesn’t always have to fight with creativity… sometimes they can carpool.

I painted a little apothecary shelf for their treats and toys — soft, moody, functional. I started dreaming up a project that feels like pure aesthetic joy: Shadow & Lux(e). Not a hustle. Not a brand. Just a soft place to land for beauty and creativity.
Shadow & Lux(e) — because apparently the cats have a stronger brand identity than I do.
If I’m honest, this side project is just an excuse to buy them velvet furniture.
It’s not content, it’s couture… for cats.

And maybe that’s why today felt… easy.
Not because I was perfectly on task, but because the spark lit the path without setting fire to everything else.

Usually, new ideas burn up my focus. But today, the new idea just… flickered.
Usually my new ideas feel like arson. Today it was just mood lighting.
Old me would have been elbows-deep in trademark paperwork by lunch.
And I followed it without losing myself.

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