If you’re like me, you find that life comes in seasons – sometimes when we don’t want it to. I find that basically every other season in my life shit hits the fan, and I am spending my time trying to juggle a million balls and I find that sometimes my mental health is the thing that is sacrificed. 

Right now, I am living in one of those crazy seasons. What’s going on over here? I’m gonna break it down in true Karima fashion – completely honest and vulnerable.

I FOUND OUT MY MOTHER WAS RE-DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER AFTER 20 YEARS. 

This has been one of the most challenging things I’ve ever gone through. My mother is my world, and I know she’s gonna be okay, but it is breaking my heart to watch the strongest person I know have to go through something so horrible again. Getting diagnosed after 20 years is SO RARE, it’s the same chance of getting diagnosed with no family history or anything for the first time. My momma is a trooper and pulling through, but it is definitely something I am struggling with in this season. The first time my mom had cancer I was so young – I was confused, and scared. A lot of those feelings are resurfacing as an adult and honestly, I’m not handling them the best. 

SEBASTIAN AND I ARE BUYING A HOUSE. 

Because life isn’t crazy enough, we decided to go ahead and buy a house during this season. We weren’t really looking yet, we knew we wanted to buy in the spring or summer, but our dream house literally fell in our lap. We didn’t even see it on zillow, our amazing realtor had it pop up and decided to show us because it was super close to my sister and closer to my mother… and when we walked in, I seriously started crying. I felt so emotional over it and said out loud “I don’t care what it takes, I am getting this house.” And here we are, prepping to close next week! 

This house has a huge yard for the dogs, an open-floor plan, a perfect workspace area for myself, a man-cave area that was Sebastian’s non-negotiable, and so much room to grow into. We can see ourselves staying in this house for so, so many years to come. It’s a house that feels so inviting from the second you walk in, and I can’t wait to entertain there and one day have a family in this house. We are SO excited and SO thankful for the opportunity to be able to buy a house. 

THE HOLIDAYS, AKA MY FAVORITE TIME OF THE YEAR.

If you know me you know I go ALL OUT for Christmas – home decor, DIY projects, cards, parties, all of it. This year, even with all the crazy going on, I refuse to let my favorite season of the year take the back-burner. Christmas brings me SO MUCH JOY – my love language is receiving and giving gifts so I think it’s my favorite because it’s an opportunity to show everyone I love how much I love them in different ways. 

This year we decided to make a bold move and host Christmas at our house, two days after we close. Everyone may or may not be sitting on the floor, and Sebastian is going to have to build a dining room table for us the DAY OF, but we wanted to have it in our new home so badly so we are going to do what we do best – figure it out along the way, and ask for help when we need it. 

Along with that, we are having guests over who are visiting literally from the day we close until the first week of January. I’m excited, but it is definitely going to be a crazy, crazy time.

What’s the secret of handling it all and running a service-based business? 

Grace. I am SO gracious with myself this season. I may be a day late for deadlines. I may not have a perfectly curated instagram feed. I may be ordering pizza and indian food a little too much instead of making healthy meals. I may be skipping a few gym sessions. My laundry may still be sitting in the washer after 4 days. But guys, I’m human. We are all human. And it’s okay. 

I decided that more than anything this season, I am going to figure out how to enjoy the chaos. I feel closer than ever to my partner in our relationship as we navigate this crazy time in our life together. I am soaking in the extra time I get to spend with loved ones this season. Soaking in the laughs, the smiles, the photos that are taken just to have, not to post. I’m letting myself rejoice in the fact that I get to live this crazy life. 

I’m feeling so thankful for the opportunities that are presenting themselves this season, for my incredible clients, the advancement in medicine in the last 20 years since my momma last had cancer, and her strength. I am welcoming change – because while all of this is happening, I know it’s a time in my life where I am up-leveling. This happens everytime I up-level, things get crazy, everything happens at once, then after the tornado of my life passes I realize I am truly at the next level.

All in all, I am letting myself feel: sometimes that’s strong, sometimes that’s scared, sometimes that is vulnerable — whatever it is, I am letting myself fully, unapologetically feel it, and doing what my heart says to do. At the end of the day, work is work, and it’s important to remember what we do it all for.