Beauty in the Bittersweet

Today’s Reflection

Change is inevitable, beautiful and bittersweet.

I’m now officially a wife, a Mrs., and I have a new last name. Who I’ve been will never be again. I have been waiting and hoping and praying for this day for decades – and yet, in this answered prayer, I’m still experiencing a layer of bittersweet. In letting go of what I’ve known, of a previous version of myself. It’s natural and normal to feel a sense of loss as something familiar shifts – even when it’s a wanted, welcomed change.

Getting married means so. much. change. I’m no longer living solo in my beach bungalow (my introverted self will need time to adjust) and I need to consider another person’s perspectives when making decisions (which will probably be better for my budget). But I also don’t need to carry the weight of the world alone anymore and I forever have a built-in best friend. Bitter. Sweet.

I am now Courtney Joy Goetz. I am deeply grateful. And still, there’s a subtle grief. This is the beauty of the bittersweet – holding space both for gratitude and grief. The sorrow of saying good-bye to what has been, and the sweetness of saying hello to what will be. Letting go of what was good for the sake of something so much greater. In that release, we create space for new beginnings – new relationships, new routines, new perspectives or even a new last name. 

The truth is, healthy things grow and growing things change. So when there is change, it’s a sign of goodness and growth. And today, I choose to embrace that change with an open, whole heart.

Goodbye, Courtney O’Connor. Hello, Mrs. Goetz.

Today’s Ritual

What inevitable, beautiful and bittersweet changes are you experiencing in this season of life? Allow yourself to feel the fullness of these emotions: gratitude, grief and everything in between. Gently release the past version of yourself, making space to step into the wholeness ahead. Trust the process as you change, grow and evolve – believing that even in the bittersweet, the best is still yet to come.

What emotions surface as you reflect on the changes in your life?
What feels both bitter and sweet in this season?
What are you ready to say good-bye to?
What are you excited to say hello to?

May today’s reflection (and my personal story) encourage you to make the hard, yet worthwhile, decision to create a more clear, connected complexion – and way of life.

Courtney xx