Rachel Vega

They say change begins at home. I used to think that was just a nice phrase people put on Pinterest boards. But recently, I’ve started to feel it — in ways I didn’t expect. It started with a draft. Every winter, like clockwork, the living room in our old house in Edina would grow cold no matter how high we set the heat. I used to wrap myself in layers and tell myself it was fine. “It’s an old house,” I’d say. “It’s just character.” But deep down, I was tired of freezing through movie nights a...

There’s a strange thing that happens sometimes — you start a sentence, only to have someone cut in halfway through. It’s not always mean-spirited. Sometimes it’s excitement. Sometimes it’s habit. But over time, it chips away at something. I’ve always been a quiet talker. The kind of person who thinks before she speaks, who listens more than she jumps in. But somewhere along the way, I started noticing how often I just… stop talking. Mid-thought. Mid-feeling. As if I unconsciously decided, “Neve...

There’s a funny pressure these days to share. Every thought, every corner of your home, every little routine — polished, filtered, uploaded. I don’t say this with judgment. I enjoy seeing snippets of other people’s lives. A tidy bookshelf. A handwritten grocery list. A dog sunbathing on the porch. It’s all oddly comforting. But there are things I don’t post. I don’t post the mornings where I sit in silence too long, not sure where to begin. I don’t post the stacks of dishes I let pile up becau...

Some days, I don’t do much. I wake up, make my coffee (with too much cream), feed the cat, tidy up a bit, answer a few emails, maybe read something halfway through and forget to finish it. Then I make dinner. Maybe a walk, maybe not. Maybe I just sit and listen to the sound of the dishwasher humming and think, “Well, I got through the day.” And you know what? That’s enough. It took me a long time to believe that. To stop chasing some invisible checklist of what a “successful day” looks like. ...

Running a small insurance agency in Evanston, just outside of Chicago, has always come with its share of challenges — managing clients, handling paperwork, and making sure people trust you with some of the most important decisions of their lives. But one thing I never expected to struggle with this much? Getting found online. The Invisible Business For years, I had a website that looked... okay. Nothing flashy, just enough to explain what I offer and how to get in touch. But when I searched f...

Sometimes, the best way to start something meaningful is simply to begin. This blog isn't about perfect plans or polished conclusions. It's about the little sparks that appear when you take time to think — whether it's about the world, your day, or something that moved you. Why Write? There’s a kind of clarity that only shows up when you write things down. Not to broadcast, but to observe — thoughts, patterns, ideas, feelings. Maybe that’s why I’m here. What to Expect Short reflections on ...