One of the things I’ve learned in life is that you don’t always get to choose when the trail changes.

Sometimes you’re riding along a path that feels familiar. You know who’s beside you. You trust the people leading the way. You have a pretty good idea of where you’re headed.

And then, suddenly, things change.

The people who hired me and helped shape my journey at the firm have stepped down and are beginning an exciting new chapter by creating their own firm. I genuinely wish them the very best as they follow that path. But I won’t be going with them.

Instead, I’m staying.

For a moment, that felt like an unusual place to be. When the people you’ve worked alongside and looked to for guidance move in one direction, it’s natural to wonder what staying behind means. But I’m learning that staying doesn’t mean standing still.

For me, it means stepping forward.

I’ll be taking on additional administrative responsibilities and helping navigate this period of transition. It’s an opportunity that comes with challenges, questions, and admittedly, a little uncertainty. But it also comes with the chance to grow in ways I may not have expected.

And maybe that’s where the real lesson is.

Roots don’t keep us from growing. They give us something to grow from.

There is something comforting about having roots—whether they’re in a place, a community, a job, or the people who have helped shape us along the way. The people who hired me will always be part of my story. I’m grateful for what I learned from them and for the opportunities they gave me. Their path may now be different from mine, but that doesn’t erase the roots of where my journey began.

And then there are the reins.

There are moments when you realize you can’t control where the trail turns, but you can decide how you respond when it does. You can let uncertainty take over—or you can take the reins, trust what you’ve learned, and move forward one step at a time.

That’s where I find myself now.

Taking the reins doesn’t mean pretending to know exactly where you’re going—or having all the answers along the way.

I certainly don’t.

In fact, one of the things I value most about the people I work with is that I don’t have to have all the answers. A strong team isn’t built around one person knowing everything. It’s built on people bringing their individual strengths, knowledge, and experience to the table—and trusting one another enough to learn together.

As I take on more responsibility, I hope to listen more than I speak, ask for input, and recognize the expertise that already exists around me. To me, leadership isn’t about being the smartest or most knowledgeable person in the room. Sometimes it’s about knowing when to listen, when to ask for help, and when to trust the people beside you.

The truth is, there is still so much I have to learn. And that’s okay. I rely on the experience, knowledge, and dedication of the people around me. Taking on more responsibility doesn’t mean I suddenly know everything. It means I’m willing to help bring people together, support the team, and make sure everyone’s voice has a place in what comes next.

So, this is where Roots and Reins meet Real Life.

Life doesn’t always follow the plan you had in your head. Careers change. People move in different directions. The comfortable path can suddenly become unfamiliar.

But we can stay rooted in what we’ve learned. We can be grateful for the people who helped us get here. And when it’s time to move forward, we can take the reins—even if we’re still figuring out exactly where the trail leads.

This chapter isn’t the one I expected. But maybe that’s the point.

Sometimes the most meaningful growth happens when the path changes unexpectedly. Sometimes you don’t have to leave to find a new opportunity. Sometimes, the opportunity is right where you are—waiting for you to step into it.

So, I’m staying. I’m learning. I’m taking on more. And I’m looking forward to seeing what we can build together.

Because while some things are changing, one thing remains true: a strong team can weather change, adapt, and become even stronger on the other side of it.

And sometimes, the path you didn’t plan for turns out to be the one that helps you discover what you’re capable of all along.