Sandrea Lanay

If I’m being honest, Summer 2026 has been moving so fast that I had to stop and ask myself what month it even is.

One minute I was making vision boards, and the next thing I know the Knicks are making history, Hov shut down Yankee Stadium, Chris Brown and Usher finally gave us the collaboration we deserved, and somehow my college roommate now lives in my neighborhood.

Life has been life-ing.

And for the first time in a long time…it almost feels like those pre-COVID summers again.

People are outside.

Events are packed.

Everybody’s catching flights.

Friends are randomly pulling up because they actually live close now instead of 45 minutes away.

It’s a vibe.

The only difference?

Me and my homegirls are all single as fuck with no real hot shit to talk about at happy hour.

Honestly speaking, I think the vast majority of men are gay.

I mean it’s not completely out of character for me or my home girl to find out someone old now plays for our team.

No shade, this is not one of those “men ain’t shit” posts because honestly? I have way more important things to think about than giving free rent to people who aren’t paying my bills.

One of the biggest changes this year?

I retired from doing hair.

Typing that still feels weird.

Hair paid bills.

Hair introduced me to amazing women.

Hair helped me survive different seasons of my life.

But somewhere along the way, I realized I had outgrown it.

Not because I hated it.

Because I wanted something different.

Something that didn’t require my body to make money every single day.

I wanted to build.

I wanted ownership.

I wanted freedom.

So here I am…

Learning something new.

Building a new business.

Writing again.

It’s scary.

It’s exciting.

It’s exactly where I’m supposed to be.

I’m still practicing impactful living.

That phrase has followed me for years because I never wanted my life to just be aesthetically pleasing.

I want it to matter.

I want my daughter to remember that her mama had ideas…and actually went after them.

I want people to leave conversations with me feeling inspired instead of drained.

I want to build businesses that create opportunities for other people.

That’s impactful living to me.

I still randomly daydream about relocating.

Some days it’s homestead life with a beach house on Kent Island.

Other days it gives high rise building somewhere in Asia.

Literally no in-between.

Ask me where I see myself in five years and my answer is either growing a garden or passport stamps.

We’ll figure out the details later.

Now…

Lately, I’ve been feeling like the elephant in the room.

The body…

Is not bodying how I want.

My homegirl and I have literally joked about wanting to catch cyclosporiasis because apparently that’s the fastest way to lose 50 pounds in 30 days. (I know…terrible 😂)

But honestly, I’m ready to get back to feeling good in my body.

I’ve officially entered what I’m calling my Fed, Not Full era.

No more eating until I can’t move.

No more acting like every meal is my last.

The goal is to leave the table feeling nourished, not defeated.

We’ll check back in around Thanksgiving.

Pray for me. LOL

One thing about me?

I’m always gonna have a master plan.

Actually…

Several.

Because by the time I turn 40, I have exactly two acceptable outcomes.

Either…

I’m retired, living soft, and my man insists on managing the household while I pretend to complain about it…

OR

One of these business ideas finally takes off and I’m rich enough to accidentally forget what day payday is.

Honestly?

I’m cool with either option.

Maybe both.

For now…

I’m going to keep showing up.

Keep learning.

Keep building.

Keep betting on myself.

Because if there’s one thing this season has taught me, it’s that reinvention doesn’t happen all at once.

It happens in small decisions.

One post.

One idea.

One leap.

At a time.

See y’all in the next one.

XOXO- Drea ☕✨