Choosing Joy on Purpose This Holiday Season

The holiday season always brings its own energy — part warmth, part chaos, part nostalgia, part pressure. And this year, with everything changing in my life, it would be easy to get pulled into the stress of what’s next: wrapping up my time in the military, leaving Hawaii, moving to Texas, building a new studio and forever home, which all adds up to starting a new chapter that feels bigger than I can hold all at once.

But I don’t want to spend this season staring at the horizon and missing what’s right in front of me.

So I’ve been trying something different:

being intentional about appreciating what I have instead of longing for what I don’t yet.

It sounds simple.  However, if you are not intentional, it isn’t.  The Army is good at making things complicated that don’t need to be.  I have an MBA, have attend multiple post-graduate level programs (Naval Post-Grad school, UNC Masters program, and William and Mary), have helped my brother to start and run a successful robotics and automation company for 25 years, and a secure military retirement.  But the Army is insistent on making sure I sit through Transition Assistance training to teach me how to fill out a resume, a budget, and apply to jobs…  Square peg in a round hole?  No problem, it’s congressionally mandated.  I asked if they wanted me to teach the courses, no just sit and listen.

And the truth is, I have a lot to appreciate. My wife and I are about to build our forever home. I get to create a brand-new studio for Honor and Ink™ — a place shaped from the ground up with purpose, creativity, and the kind of peace I’ve earned over the years. There’s excitement hiding inside the uncertainty if I’m willing to look for and acknowledge it.

To help myself slow down and actually enjoy the season, I sat down and started sketching again — nothing heavy, just something playful to make me smile. The first one was this little masterpiece from my daughter’s cat, who proudly earned his place on the Naughty List this year:

It’s simple, but that’s the point. There’s something grounding about making art that isn’t trying to say anything profound — it’s just meant to be fun. And honestly, this goofy cat wrapped in lights helped me remember that joy doesn’t always show up in deep moments. Sometimes it’s right here, in the lighthearted stuff we usually rush past.

And the second one of my dog being… well, exactly the kind of lovable fluffy goof she always is.

They aren’t meant to impress anyone. They’re meant to make people smile — including me.

Somewhere between the drawings, the planning, and the attempt to breathe a little easier, I got a message from someone who’s played a big role in my career: Major General (Retired) Alvin. He used to be my senior mentor, and he reached out because he wants to mentor me again as I step into retirement.

The timing wasn’t accidental.

He reminded me that transitions aren’t just about logistics. They’re about connection, community, and making sure we don’t try to walk into the next chapter alone. He encouraged me to reconnect with him, and gently nudged me to find a church in Texas near our new home — not out of obligation, but out of the belief that community can anchor you when everything else feels like it’s shifting.

That meant more than he probably realizes.

So that’s where I’m landing this season:

Choosing joy on purpose.

Choosing gratitude instead of scarcity.

Choosing excitement over worry.

Choosing connection instead of isolation.

And choosing to believe that the space I’m stepping into — the home, the studio, the slower pace, the new art — is something worth looking forward to.  It’s all part of the process.

If you’re feeling stretched this holiday season between the life you’re leaving and the one you’re stepping into, I hope you give yourself a moment to appreciate what’s already in your hands. Trust the process.  There’s more there than you think.

And if you’re ever looking to mark your own transition, story, or new beginning, Honor and Ink™ is always here when you’re ready.