Becoming Me (Again): Motherhood, ADHD, Yoga, and Fireforged Growth - A Life Update

The last time I posted here was in September 2018.

At the time, I had no idea how much was about to change.

Since then, I’ve become a mother, moved twice, navigated a global pandemic, started two small businesses, got diagnosed with ADHD in my 30s, rebranded my yoga work, and—somehow—began to feel more me than I have in years.

So if you’ve been wondering where I’ve been, or maybe just landed here for the first time, here’s a little life update.

Me and my daughter, Clara, riding Sassi - 2021, Sanford, NC

I became a mom.

In January of 2020, I gave birth to my daughter, and everything shifted. Motherhood cracked me wide open—in beautiful, messy, humbling ways. It brought both deep love and deep reckoning. I learned how strong I am. I also learned how much I still had to learn.

I moved. And then I moved again.

We left Charleston, South Carolina, and moved to Charlotte, North Carolina. Then—when the world turned upside down during COVID—we decided to move again, this time to Pittsboro, NC, to be closer to family. Slower pace. More connection. Space to breathe.

I bought a horse.

After a long hiatus from riding, I made a big, soul-level decision: I bought a horse. An adorable, spicy little redhead named Sassi.

Returning to horseback riding felt like reclaiming a lost part of myself. The barn became a sanctuary, a place where I could exhale and be fully present. Sassi has taught me so much about patience, trust, partnership, and the quiet kind of strength that comes from consistency, not control.

I got diagnosed with ADHD.

At 33, I finally had a name for something that had quietly shaped my entire life. The diagnosis brought clarity, grief, relief, and validation. It explained years of anxiety, burnout, overwhelm, and constant overthinking. And it helped me start building systems and self-compassion that actually work for the way my brain works.

I rebranded my yoga business.

Yoga has been my anchor for years, but in this season, it’s become something deeper. I rebranded my practice and offerings under a new name: Fireforged Yoga.

To me, this new name represents everything I’ve walked through. Burnout. Rebirth. Resilience. I don’t teach yoga that’s airy and perfect—I teach the kind you crawl to when life feels heavy. The kind that meets you where you are and helps you rise.

I found a new yoga community.

Finding Yoga Garden in Pittsboro felt like a homecoming. Teaching and practicing there has reconnected me to community, to purpose, and to the kind of movement that heals from the inside out.

I started (and am still building) two other small businesses.

Because, of course I did. 😅 In addition to Fireforged Yoga, I started a creative little venture called FutureTots—witty, empowering apparel for tiny humans. I also purchased a horse trailer and started a horse trailer rental business called Precious Cargo. Both are still growing, evolving, and teaching me a lot about entrepreneurship, resilience, and learning as you go.

And through all of it, I’m reconnecting with myself.

It hasn’t always been graceful. But I’ve spent the last few years slowly peeling back the layers of burnout, survival, and perfectionism. I’ve stopped chasing “balance” and started listening to what my body, brain, and nervous system actually need.

I’m speaking to myself with more kindness. Creating with more honesty. And showing up with fewer masks.

If you’ve made it this far, thank you.

Thank you for being here, whether you’ve been around since my last post in 2018 or just stumbled across this today.

I plan to write more again. Not because I have it all figured out, but because writing is part of how I come home to myself. And I think we could all use a little more of that.

If any of this resonates—ADHD, motherhood, burnout, rebuilding, yoga that feels real—I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment, send me a message, or come find me on the mat.

Here’s to what comes next.

Here’s to the fire—and everything it forges.

xo,

Katie Cousins

e-RYT Certified Yoga Instructor

Pittsboro, NC

FireforgedYoga.com