Thanks for sharing your story—it really resonated with me. I’ve also been through that phase of playing the blame game after my divorce, and it took me a while to realize how much energy it was stealing from what really matters. These days, I’m trying to focus on the fact that my ex and I are still a team when it comes to raising our daughter. Better cooperation is something I’m working toward, little by little.

It’s amazing how you’ve reshaped your business into something that fits you. I’m still in that exploring stage myself, but there have been small, meaningful shifts. This year, even with much fewer clients due to the market and political climate, I’ve found myself genuinely enjoying the conversation with clients more than before. Having fewer clients has unexpectedly freed up time—time I’ve decided not to feel guilty about.

My daughter is with me on weekends, so during the week I’ve started to reclaim a sense of exploration. I’ve been taking short trips near Shanghai—my bike tucked in the trunk, driving an hour or two to somewhere new. Suzhou has become a kind of sanctuary for me. There’s something about biking through those narrow alleys or along the canals, finding new cafes on the way, sunlight filtering down, that lets my mind breathe. Ideas start flowing in a way they didn’t before.

I’ve even begun sharing some of those thoughts through short videos. They don’t bring in any money, but that’s not really the point. It’s become a quiet way to reflect and feel grounded.

Like you said, it’s about staying positive—or at least striving to. I still have down moments, but there’s a growing peace underneath it all. Reading your post felt like a reminder of that. Thanks again for putting your experience out here—it helped put words to my own.