Just before the new year, I was chatting with a friend who told me it was time to start writing on this site again. Sure, we’ve been exchanging recipes and small talk and quick hellos here and there, but as of late, there’s been fewer words and in-depth sharing. To be completely honest, 2020 wore me out, and between family, other work projects, and even just managing my own heart and peace of mind amidst the ongoing political and social turmoil, there wasn’t a whole lot leftover to share here. I just needed a bit of a reprieve. But the truth is, our stories matter, and the transparent offerings we expose to one another have the capacity to encourage, soothe, nurture, and excite the people we share them with. As much as I needed a break last year, I want the exchange of honesty and camaraderie with you guys even more. So today’s the day. I think it’s time we catch up.

Let’s coffee chat. Are you guys at all interested in the enneagram? I’ve long been a fan of personality tests, even those silly ones on Facebook that tell you, like, what Disney Princess or “Friends” character you are, but the enneagram is the first test that pinned me right on the nose. As a type 3 wing 2, I love to set goals, love to achieve, and love to seek praise, accolades, admiration, and so on. I like efficiency and checking things off my list, and my personality tends to thrive when there’s a finish end in site- all good things… right?

Except at some point last year, I stopped thriving. Life came to a halt and I wasn’t able to move at a pace that felt purposeful. Although those first couple months of quarantine empowered me to take on the new tasks of “homeschooling” kids, cleaning out my house, and even working towards new work goals, as time went on, those efforts became tiresome and I began to feel like I was flailing under my self-imposed, incessant need to move forward. Can anyone else here relate?

I’m not sure exactly when it happened, but somewhere along the way I knew I had to get comfortable with my own discomfort. My identity wasn’t tied to my ability to achieve, and my worth wasn’t diminished just because my capacity for work was temporarily overwhelmed. Those months of last year that I spent feeling tired and defeated ended up being huge moments of growth, because they forced me to disconnect my value as a women, mother, friend, and wife from my own efforts. They forced me to slow down, become comfortable with my flaws, and receive love from the people around me even when I didn’t feel like I had much to offer in return. Honestly, it felt really good just to look at the little piles of chaos in my life and know I didn’t have to make them all perfect immediately; I had value even if I didn’t get it all right the first time.

So I guess this is a message of encouragement. Wherever you find yourself at the start of this year, know that your worth isn’t tied to your abilities, your social standing, or your appearance. You’re not a failure if you have to do less, say no, or take time to take care of yourself, and it’s okay if there are areas of your life where you’re still very much so a work in progress. Whether you’re starting over, feeling behind, or even just suffering from an extreme case of poor self-confidence, know that there is grace for you to be exactly who you are in the season, and you have at least one friend (raises hand!) in that fresh start boat with you. 2021 may not end up being any easier than 2020 was, but it is an opportunity to embrace new hope, resolve, and dreams. If you’re like, “Yes, I need that today,” I hope you’ll take this opportunity to move forward towards them.

I’ll keep the rest short today. This Kentucky coffee was inspired by a Mayan coffee I had this time last year in Mexico. The drink was warm and boozy, made slightly sweet with thick clouds of freshly whipped cream on top. Once back in the States, I tracked down the Mayan liquor and began making them at home as an after-dinner treat. This rendition, a Kentucky coffee, features high-quality bourbon and a smidge of maple syrup for added sweetness. The homemade whipped cream is all the same and absolutely steals the show. Don’t skimp on the whip, okay?

If you find yourself in need of a coffee chat of your own, I hope you’ll make one (or two! or three! or four!) of these Kentucky coffee drinks at home to share with a friend. I hope you all have a terrific week. Happy baking!

If you like this Kentucky Coffee you should try:

Sweet Tea Old Fashioned
Sweet Tea Hot Toddy
Bourbon Bundt Cake
Bourbon Brown Butter Snickerdoodles
Coffee Donuts: Two Ways

Kentucky Coffee

This Kentucky coffee, made boozy with quality bourbon, is slightly sweetened with maple syrup and homemade whipped cream and served warm in a mug!

• Author: Kate Wood
• Prep Time: 5
• Total Time: 5
• Yield: 1
• Category: Beverage

Ingredients

• ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
• 1 tablespoon sugar or powdered sugar
• 10 ounces strong brewed coffee
• 1–1/2 ounces bourbon
• ¼ ounce maple syrup

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, vigorously whisk the cream until frothy and slightly thickened. Add the sugar and continue whipping until medium peaks form. Set aside.
2. To a coffee mug, add the coffee, bourbon, and maple syrup and stir. Top with dollops of whipped cream and serve. You can add more coffee for a less-strong beverage.