I Was Never Afraid of Failing. I Was Afraid of Losing My Voice.

For a long time, my greatest fear wasn’t that I would fail.

• It was that I would stay small.

• That I would remain quiet.

• That I would slowly forget the sound of my own voice.

I didn’t have language for it then, but looking back, I know exactly what it was.

I was living like a human version of Ariel, on land, without my voice because that was the price of being with a man.

And it’s a price I paid.

Now? Never again.

The Disney Lie We’re Sold (especially as women+mothers)

Disney never tells you what it really costs.

They don’t show you the slow erosion that happens when:

• your ideas are dismissed,

• your excitement is met with eye rolls,

• your vision is called unrealistic,

• your creativity is “cute” but not taken seriously.

No one ripped my voice away. I’d say many circumstances did, that led me to giving it up piece by piece. I believed that if love required compromise I’d pay the price and I didn’t realize the compromise was me.

I learned how to soften my words.

I learned how to package my ideas smaller or not at all.

I learned how to pre-edit myself so I wouldn’t be “too much or too many ideas.”

I learned how to survive on land without a voice even though internally the whispers grew.

My Greatest Fear Was Never Being Alone

It was staying in a life where I was tolerated instead of celebrated.

Where my ideas were minimized.

Where my ambition needed to be explained away.

“Too many ideas.”

“Whoa, slow down.”

“That’s been done before.”

“I don’t think that’ll work.”

“Just be happy in your 8-6.”

“We need your benefits.”

“If you were a stay-at-home, you’d cheat…” while he was.

My Synopsis: What they really wanted wasn’t partnership.

They wanted containment.

Radiant Women Trigger Systems Built on Silence

I read something recently that cracked something open in me:

• Women who are truly radiant don’t ask for attention.

• And yet, they become walking triggers.

Because a woman who knows herself, who creates, who imagines, who builds, exposes the fragility of systems that depend on her staying quiet.

And when the world isn’t ready for her, the response isn’t support, it’s judgment, it’s belittlement, it’s fear-based and just plain-old ick.

It’s…

“Why are you complaining? You should be grateful.”

“If you leave me, it’ll be a custody battle.”

Meanwhile you’re the most gratitude filled person you know, that wants nothing but the best for her children and act accordingly…(PS: those statements are gaslighting my friends)

But here’s the truth no one tells you:

If your presence feels disruptive, it’s because you’re evolving past what can hold you cue the shattering.

The Price of Silence Is Too High

I paid the price too many times.

I gave up my voice for what I thought was the greater good.

I traded expression for acceptance to stay.

I mistook love for self-erasure, re-read that. If your eyes didn’t pop open…check yourself.

And it almost worked.

Almost.

Until the fear of staying silent for my daughters became greater than the fear of leaving even under the…

• “You’ll only get 50/50.”

• “If you leave me, it’ll be the biggest custody battle ever.”

This is your reminder you don’t belong crying on the bathroom floor questioning your worth to preserve someone else’s fabricated worth. Have I mention people like this aka undiagnosed narcissists typically prey on educated, intelligent women? Let’s skip to the good part.

Motherhood Didn’t Silence Me: It Refined Me

When I became a mother, something shifted. Then shifted again.

I didn’t disappear, I clarified. I started seeing things for what they were.

Yes, I pivoted for what I wanted for her.

Yes, I closed chapters I built with my own hands, but only after giving it my best and final.

Yes, I reinvented everything I thought I knew. Twice…and still am.

But motherhood didn’t make me smaller.

It made me unignorable.

Because when you bring daughters into the world, you don’t just protect her being, you protect her future voice.

And I *know* I could never model or be silent or submissive to FEAR again. (Yes, a tense change here, my creative writing teacher in high school would be upset, but it’s important I know that today.)

Today I Choose My Voice, Every Time

I am soft where love lives. Within me. Within my children. Within my home. Within our travel and our soul beings.

I am gentle where healing is needed. For me. For them. For others.

And I am immovable where anyone tries to diminish, reshape, or quiet me.

I will never again trade my voice for false belonging.

I will never again shrink for companionship.

I will never again confuse silence with the pre-tense of faux-peace.

I am not afraid of standing alone.

I am afraid of disappearing.

Perhaps that is why legacy and authenticity have become my driving forces.

If I were to die today, it’s what I leave behind.

And sadly the fear that was there is what brought me back to myself…but I want to transpire that fear into empowerment for my daughters.

This is my story.

This is my return.

And this time, (spoiler alert) I keep my voice.

So, follow along and thanks for being here.

-Britta

Flying With Kids: What Documents You Actually Need (Domestic & International) + Travel Lessons I Learned the Hard Way

If you’ve ever stood in an airport with kids in tow wondering, “Do I have everything I need… or am I about to be THAT person holding up the line?” this one’s for you.

I get asked all the time about flying with kids, especially around documents, passports, lap babies, and international travel, so here’s a clear breakdown based on FAA rules, airline policies, and real-life experiences (including one memorable moment where I (+babe) almost didn’t make it out of Amsterdam 😅).

Domestic Flights in the U.S.: The Easy Part

If you’re flying within the United States, here’s the good news:

• Kids under 18 do NOT need an ID to fly domestically.

• Your older kids just need tickets.

• Lap infants (under age 2) don’t typically need documentation, but airlines can ask for proof of age, so I always bring her passport, but if your babe doesn’t have a passport, simply bring:

  • A photo or copy of their birth certificate (on your phone is fine).

• Adults just need their IDs (driver’s license is sufficient).

No passports required for domestic travel!

International Travel: Passport Rules I Live By

If you’re heading outside the U.S., this is where planning matters.

✔️ Passport Expiration Rule (My Personal Standard)

Many countries require your passport to be valid for at least 6 months PRIOR to your travel dates.

If it were me?
I renew well before that 6-month window. Why risk it?

✔️ Same-Day or Next-Day Passport Renewals (Yes, It’s a Thing)

Here’s a travel hack I swear by:

If:

• Your passport is expired, about to expire, or

• You don’t want to mail it in and be without it for weeks

👉 You can book a same-day or next-day passport renewal appointment at a passport agency as long as you have international travel booked within 14 days with proof of tickets.

I’ve done both of my girls’ passport renewals in Minneapolis this way. I don’t love sending my passport into the mail abyss with no clear return date, this avoids that entirely.

TSA PreCheck & Global Entry: Why We Have Both

Both my daughters and I have TSA PreCheck and Global Entry, and it’s one of the best travel decisions I’ve ever made.

TSA PreCheck:

• Shorter security lines

• Shoes, jackets, laptops stay on/in bags

• Huge stress reducer when traveling with kids

Global Entry:

• Faster U.S. customs re-entry (skip the lines)

• Includes TSA PreCheck automatically

• Bonus tip:
  You can often do your Global Entry interview upon arrival from an international trip, no separate appointment needed, if an officer is available at customs.

Time saved = energy saved = happier travel days.

Single Parents, Divorced Parents, or Traveling Solo With a Child: READ THIS

This part matters more than people realize.

On a trip routing through Amsterdam on our way to Norway, I had an 8-hour layover and planned to head into the city with my daughter.

Instead… I got pulled aside.

Because I was:

• A single parent

• Traveling alone with a child

• Crossing borders

Authorities flagged it as a potential child-abduction or fleeing-the-country situation.

They asked me to:

• Call my daughter’s dad

• Get his approval

• In the middle of the night

• On an 8-hour time difference

• With no guarantee he’d answer

Thankfully, I had my divorce decree saved on my phone.

It showed:

• I had primary custody

• Our travel timeline

• Our next flight

Once I pulled it up, everything changed. We were cleared to go.

And yes, after all that, we:

• Walked the Amsterdam river path

• Had a “toasty” (basically a panini)

• Drank lots of European coffee

• Enjoyed a stroopwafel (mandatory)

Worth it… but it could’ve gone very differently.

Word of Warning:

If you are divorced, separated, or traveling solo with a child:

• Keep custody paperwork, court orders, or consent letters

• Searchable, downloadable, and accessible offline

• On your phone (be sure it’s charged) AND ideally backed up

This one document saved our trip.

Jet Lag, Espresso, and Survival Mode

That trip was also the one where:

• My daughter slept all day

• I was up all night

• I ran entirely on espresso and dreams ☕✨

Single mama life abroad hits different.

The Travel Stroller That Changed Everything

One final travel MVP: a carry-on sized, plane-approved travel stroller.

I swear by one that:

• Fully reclines

• Has a solid sunshade

• Gives jet-lagged babes a safe place to sleep

• Folds small enough to fit under the airplane seat

• Does not require a gate-check (aka pink tag)

Why this matters?

Because once in Mexico, on a tight connection, stowage was closed + my stroller wouldn’t fit, and we missed the flight.

Never again.

I switched to the GB Pockit All City, which folds tiny enough to slide under the seat. Game changer.

It’s linked here: https://liketk.it/5L3EK and you’re welcome 😉

Final Takeaway: Plan Smart, Then Go Explore

Traveling with kids doesn’t have to be stressful but it does reward preparation.

✔️ Check documents early
✔️ Keep custody paperwork handy
✔️ Get Pre-Check + Global Entry if you travel often
✔️ Choose gear that works with you, not against you

Then go explore the world, rivers, coffee, chaos, stroopwafels and all! 💛✈️

-Britta

Why I’m Sharing More of Everyday Life

A note on lifestyle, systems, and intention

For a long time, I shared pieces of my life quietly, a product I loved here, a routine that worked there, a trip that felt smoother than expected. What I started to notice, though, was how often people asked the same questions: How do you stay organized? How do you travel with kids without it feeling chaotic? How do you decide what’s worth buying?

This journal is my answer to that.

My perspective comes from a blend of education, experience, and real life. I’m a pediatric occupational therapist, which means I spend my professional life thinking about how humans function best in their everyday environments, how routines, tools, and systems can either support or complicate daily life. That lens naturally shapes how I approach everything from home organization to travel and planning.

I’m also a mom, and like most parents, I’ve learned that what looks good in theory doesn’t always work in practice. Real life requires flexibility, simplicity, and systems that can adapt as kids grow and seasons change. Much of what I share is born from figuring out what actually works.

Alongside that, I’m an entrepreneur, building businesses and digital products designed to make life easier and more intentional. Creating systems isn’t just something I talk about, it’s how I manage projects, balance responsibilities, and design tools that can be used again and again. The behind-the-scenes of that process is something I plan to share here.

This journal will cover lifestyle tips because everyday routines matter more than we realize. I’ll share insights on traveling with kids, rooted in preparation and mindset, as well as home and organization ideas that focus on function first. You’ll also find product recommendations, shared thoughtfully and transparently, and a look behind the scenes at how everyday systems are built, tested, and refined.

This space isn’t about perfection or doing more. It’s about designing a life that you can thrive in with intention, ease, and flexibility.

I’m glad you’re here.

-Britta