Welcome to my little corner of the web. Whether you’ve visited before or found CherryCoBiz through today’s WordPress prompt—I’m truly glad you’re here. This space is rooted in something simple but powerful: learning, growing, evolving ideas, and building community through shared experience. And while I’m the one behind every post, every picture, and every Cherry Tip you find here, I do all of it with this in mind:

Embrace Life. Pursue Wellness. Seek Truth.

That’s the ethos. The essence. The realness that lives alongside every effort I share forward.

Today’s prompt offers a familiar question:
Are you seeking security or adventure?

I’ve written under this prompt before, but life is an ebb and flow—and sometimes the answers shift, even if just slightly. Sometimes they deepen. Sometimes they surprise us.

For me, this moment feels like a blend of both: security and adventure. But it took reflection to see that.

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to respect the numbers. That phrase carries meaning on many levels in my life—some symbolic, some spiritual, and others entirely practical. One of my more recent writings about the significance of numbers can be found here: “11:11 and Other Reminders I’m Alive”. But it’s far from the first time I’ve explored this connection. Numbers speak to me. They always have. And lately, they’ve been asking me to listen closer.

Nearly three months ago, I stepped into a new job. It’s been a meaningful experience in many ways and may soon become a permanent full-time role. What’s different now is that I’m back to working a traditional 8–5 schedule, out of the house again. For context, I’ve held both remote and on-site roles in recent years—some of you may remember my time at a local community center for the homeless last year (that reflection is here). After that, I took a remote position assisting people with their Affordable Care Act applications.

This new role is a different kind of work entirely—but in some strange and unexpected ways, it still draws on pieces of who I am. It’s not an extension of the same journey exactly, but rather a kind of integration—a weaving together of skills, instincts, and heart. I do what’s helpful. That’s who I am, wherever I am. And that mindset has a way of making any role feel more meaningful.

With that shift in environment came a familiar habit: the “treat yourself” breakfast stop. Coffee and egg bites. A small reward for showing up. Self-care, I told myself. And maybe it was… at first.

But this is where QuietQuest becomes real: the inward work, the honest questions.
$12.11
Every morning.
Five days a week.
Four weeks a month.

Was I seeking comfort—or avoiding something deeper?
Was I nurturing myself—or reinforcing a pattern that wasn’t serving me?

Hard questions. Important ones. And slowly, I realized: I wasn’t respecting the numbers—not just the dollars, but the time, energy, and habits attached to them.

So I made a change.

Last week, I stopped the daily order. I started bringing breakfast and water from home—both healthier and more intentional. Instead of spending the $12.11, I moved that exact amount into savings. It became a new ritual—one rooted in respect and growth.

One day, I did still grab a wrap for lunch—just $2. But the next day, I brought an extra item from home to carry me through. Small steps. Better choices. I’m not always great with money, but I’m getting better. I’m learning. And in that learning, I’m building trust with myself.

As for the patience that lets me see this all clearly? That’s partly a gift from meditation, yes—but also from my Little Grandma Rose. She would sit with me for hours, never rushing, never distracted. Just fully present. I think of her often, especially when I need to slow down and simply listen.

So—security or adventure?
Right now, for me, it’s both.
Security in mindfulness. Adventure in change.
And peace in the space between.

And maybe this is where I should say something else, too—something I don’t hide, because it matters: I’m 49 years old. I mention my age often—not for applause, and certainly not for pity—but because it says something. It says I’ve lived. I’ve learned. I’ve poured my energy into people, places, and practices that shaped me. And I’m still growing. That matters.

Sometimes I say I’m no one but one of you. Not to make myself small—but because I believe in our shared humanity. We get it. We’re doing the best we can with what we know—and when we know better, we do better. This post is about reflection and learning, yes. But it’s also about humility. Accountability. The kind of self-inquiry that should be happening often—not just for me, but for all of us.

Because if I need it, maybe someone else does too.
And if someone else needs it, maybe I just have the voice to call it out.

Respect the numbers. Respect yourself. It’s all connected.
The small, meaningful things you do for yourself today will add up to something truly extraordinary tomorrow.

Until next time—
—
With gratitude,
Terra @ CherryCoBiz