It’s been a while since I’ve been here, and I don’t want you to go through the phases I’ve been in, including wondering if T&M is still alive or not.
Yes, I’ve wondered.
Yes, it’s been scary.
But guess what? After taking time for myself, I realized something: T&M is me. Or at least, it’s a part of me. And it’s a part I don’t want to let go of.
Thinking about this, I couldn’t help but wonder… what happens when the space you created to grow suddenly needs to grow with you?
You see, I’ve yearned for something that’s mine for years, something I can pour myself into and watch grow, fueled by love and passion. That’s what T&M is for me.
I stepped away from posting for different reasons. And in the same raw, unfiltered, honest way I’ve always shown up here, I decided to step out of the shadow and tell you what’s been going on. I’m not going into detail, but let me just say: these past few months have been filled with change.
People I love moved away.
Relationships shifted completely.
Dreams and hopes were born… and then shattered.
I was reminded, again and again, that holding on to certain expectations isn’t always the right thing.
So I’ve been rearranging ideas, picking up pieces of my heart that felt broken.
But it’s not all bad.
I mean, it’s just a moment in life. A moment that hurts, yes, but a moment nonetheless. And you know what? I know pain. I know the kind of pain that transforms you.
And that’s why I know I’ll survive this.
But in order to survive it, I have to embrace it. To understand my emotions. To shift my focus toward what I can do.
And right now, that means sharing something new with you: The evolution of Tropics & Mountains.
As many of you know, this began as a blog where I shared my adventures in different areas of life: food, travel, family, health. And it was a beautiful way to express myself and connect with you. But still, I felt something was missing: It needed a soul.
So, since times are changing… so are we.
And just like that… Tropics & Mountains is no longer just a blog.
After lots of reflection on what T&M means to me, and what it might mean to you, I’ve decided to take it in a new direction:
From now on, Tropics & Mountains will focus on storytelling. Yes, powerful women’s stories. Women who are moving the world (and making it stop when needed).
And the reason I’m making this change public here is because… I am one of those women.
A woman in the middle of a battle with resilience, but a battle that’s making me grow anyway.
This change has been in the works for a while. It’s not new to me, but it is to you. And I want to reassure you: the same honest, human connection you found in the blog will now live across everything I create, on this website, on social media, and on my new YouTube channel!
I’m incredibly grateful and so excited to begin. I’ll be doing it all, from recording to editing, writing, designing, and sharing, because the blog isn’t going anywhere. It’s just evolving.
And I already have a few things ready to share, so bear with me, I’m getting there.
I really hope to see you on the other side and just like that, embrace the change together.
Thank you for being here.
Thank you for giving me the courage to hold a space that’s safe, empowering, and beautiful for all of us.
As always,
Be kind, dream big, live fully!
See you soon,
Vanessa.
