Life Update: Let’s Catch Up!

Hey, friends! I hope you’ve been well since we last connected here 😄 It’s been way too long, and I’m so happy to be back! Since my last post, I’ve experienced several life changes – some good, some bad, but I’ve come to discover the beauty in them all. So let’s catch up!

On April 15, 2022, I married the love of my life and best friend, Chris ❤️. For those who may not know, Chris and I met at work in 2019. Who would have thought that within a few months of me moving back to Charlotte, I would meet my husband?! But God was clearly ordering my steps! One of the most frequently asked questions I’ve received since getting married is, “How is married life?” It can be tempting to just respond, “It’s great!” And while it has been, it’s also been hard at times. It’s required me to die to myself and set aside my selfish ways. It’s required me to release some degree of independence and control (or let’s be real, the illusion of control). It’s challenged me to be vulnerable on a whole new level. It’s required me to grow in patience and extend grace. It’s also been a mirror, reflecting parts of me that also need grace. 

It also prompted a lot of change and believe it or not, grief. Shortly, after getting married and honeymooning in Jamaica, my apartment lease ended and I moved in with Chris. Y’all, the day the movers packed the last of my belongings and I stood in my empty apartment, a wave of emotions washed over me. While I’d signed our marriage certificate and said “I do” months before, this was the moment for me that signified the end of my single season. Shortly after moving, I had my last name changed from Wright to Woods. This experience came with another round of emotions as I felt like I was losing a part of my identity. 

On top of these personal changes, work didn’t cut me any slack. My team was short staffed during the most critical time of the year for HR generalists at my company – year end. During this cycle (September-January), we are leading managers through various performance management, promotion and compensation processes. In addition to leading my clients through year end processes, I was required to lead two special projects and pick up one of my former teammates' client groups.

After enduring this season at work, I couldn’t wait for Chris and I to travel to Tulum the first week of January. We had the best time, but literally a few days after returning I began experiencing some abnormal symptoms in my body and ultimately a series of health challenges throughout the majority of 2023 – which prompted two ER visits, multiple doctors visits, and a gamut of tests/procedures (i.e. MRI, chest X-rays, EKG, CT scan, EDG, bloodwork, etc.)  

In addition to the physical challenges I was experiencing in my body, my mental health was poor. There were times when I felt like I was losing my mind as fear, worry, and anxiety began to consume me. I experienced my first panic attack in January of 2023 and more followed throughout the year. While I wouldn't have chosen to go through this, one beautiful thing that came out of this season of life was a deeper, more intimate relationship with God.

With my physical and mental health spiraling out of control on top of all of the other life changes, I decided to return to therapy. Therapy has been such a gift to me over the past year. It’s been a great space for me to process everything and gain tools on how to navigate it all. Therapy, in addition to the support of Chris and my community, empowered me to make a difficult but necessary decision – which was to take a two-month leave of absence from work at the end of last year. This was one of the most beautiful, restorative seasons of my life, and I’m feeling better than ever! I’ll be unpacking the topic of burnout and sharing more about my time away from work in my next two posts, but one exciting thing that emerged from this season was discovering one of my hidden gifts – interior design. 

This leads me to another life update 😊 I became a homeowner last year! I don’t even know how Chris and I managed to buy a new house in the midst of life’s challenges, but it’s been so cool to have a blank canvas to express my creativity – which is how I spent a portion of my time off from work, designing and cultivating a space that incites peace and feels like home ❤️. In addition to designing some spaces in our home, I spent time designing my new blog site and executing steps to relaunch my blog – which brings me back here with you! 

Fast forward to today, I’ve transitioned into a new role, one that provides more balance and allows me to sustain the healing, peace, and joy I reclaimed during my time away from work. And I’m continuing to take intentional steps towards restructuring my life in a way that supports my overall well-being and provides more opportunities for me to lean into my joyful, creative self. 

I’m so excited to be back here with you, and I pray that as I share parts of my life with you you’re encouraged and inspired in some way. 

With love, 

Imanne

P.S. Before I wrap this post, I wanted to quickly circle back to the comments I made about my marriage. I don’t want your takeaway to be that my marriage (or marriage in general) is filled with hardships, because it’s not. Marriage has been one of the most beautiful, transformative gifts that I’ve ever received, and it’s been filled with an abundance of love, joy, fun, adventures, and the sweetest memories. However, I think it’s important to be real about some of the challenging parts, especially because our society often glamorizes wedding day and fails to paint a balanced picture of what marriage looks like after “I do.” Y’all, in order to have and sustain a healthy marriage, it requires work; but it’s beautiful with the right person. 

I’ll be sharing more about the lessons I’ve been gleaning from my first two years of marriage in a future post soon, so be sure to come back to visit. Until next time!