Taking One for the Team
I hit pause.
At the time, it felt more like someone had slammed the emergency STOP button on a treadmill. I was being yanked away from a goal I was determined to hit.
Would I face-plant, or somehow recover?
My husband was given a wonderful opportunity to travel around the world this summer for work. There was no need for discussion—how exciting!
And I genuinely meant that.
It turns out I'm really good at "taking one for the team." I didn't have one negative thought about what his leaving would mean for me or the things I was building. What is good for the family is good for the family, right?
The boys had their summer commitments. The dog would still get his walks. My husband would go do the work he was excited to do.
Perfect.
It wasn't until he left that first week that something dawned on me:
What about me?
I am so used to fitting my plans into the schedule AFTER everyone else gets sorted out. I'll take the scraps of the timeline and work my things in.
I've spent a lot of my life showing the people around me how much they matter without ever stopping to consider whether I was showing myself the same thing. I didn't resent it. I didn't even question it. Taking care of everyone else—and trusting that I would always be just fine—felt completely natural to me.
But something has been changing.
I've started to understand how much I need creative pursuits and autonomy. And maybe most importantly, I'm learning about my own value.
It simply means that I matter, too.
And this summer, I had something that mattered to me. [Continue reading "Taking One for the Team" on Soul Notes →]
Host / Producer
Timmi is the creator and host of the Soul Trip podcast.
Drawn to thoughtful conversation and human storytelling, she created Soul Trip from a deep curiosity about how people navigate life’s turning points - and what helps them find resilience, meaning, and hope along the way. Inspired in part by her husband’s journey through pancreatic cancer, Timmi developed a deeper appreciation for the power of honest conversation, human connection, and the stories that help us feel less alone.
Originally from Vancouver, Canada, Timmi now lives in Los Angeles with her husband, two sons, and their Yorkshire Terrier, Barney. Outside of podcasting, she is an avid runner who finds inspiration, clarity, and connection through movement and community.
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