Caught in the Middle of Change? Let’s Talk About It

Author

Monica Olano
January 31, 2025

High Friends,

Sometimes life just slaps you upside the head to slow down, step back, and re-prioritize. This week, I got sick, and it threw everything off track. But honestly, I’m kind of grateful for it. Life was telling me to focus on my health first, my family second—and the rest will fall into place when I’ve got those two in line.

Here’s the thing: I’ve spent so much time lately diving into the dirty side of things—the underbelly of cannabis and hemp legislation, the politics, and the corruption. It shook me to my core. But after some much-needed reflection, I realized I need to ground myself again. I need to go back to being the Monica who got sober, found beauty in cannabis, and wasn’t yet carrying the weight of all the noise.

I can’t fix everything.
Hell, I can’t even fix a fraction of the mess out there. But what I can do is focus on my own wellness, love up on my family, and build something that moves the needle in a way I believe we all benefit from. And that’s where Cali Sober Market comes in.

The ultimate goalpost right now is to “throw open the doors and build as we go” approach by February 6th. Honestly? It’s probably an unrealistic goal (originally set for February 1st, but hey, five days off isn’t too bad). Even if I’m off by that five days, I’ll still be proud of where I am. We’re building something that matters, and that’s what counts.

Old School Comfort for the Soul
In the meantime, I threw it back to an old fall favorite of mine—a blood orange mocktail with honey. I needed something to vanquish this epic head cold, and since I could barely function for 36 hours, I was juicing blood oranges the second I could get out of bed and whipping this bad boy up again. I skipped the “gardening” infusion this time, but if you want to level it up, I’ve dropped the link for a tried and true citrus style beverage enhancer below.

Spoiler alert: it’s an affiliate link, so if you buy through it, you’re supporting the growth of Cali Sober Market. Appreciate you!

A Heartfelt Thanks & Some Questions for You
Before I dive back into creating, I want to take a moment to thank everyone who’s been following this journey—especially those of you who’ve signed up, opened my emails, and stuck with me through the chaos. It seriously means the world. But I need your help: what do you want from this space? What are you hoping to learn or gain from me? 

I’ve been all over the place myself lately, and it’s made me realize I’ve been so caught up in sharing my journey that I haven’t stopped to ask you what you need. So, hit reply and let me know: is what I’m offering working for you? Where do we go from here?

I’m at a crossroads about whether Monica and Cali Sober Mom should stay separate or merge into something bigger with Cali Sober Market. If you’re unsure, that’s okay too—I think it’s a sign that we’re moving in the direction of something more unified.

Looking forward to hearing from you, and thank you again for being part of this ride.

Stay Higher and Drier My Friends ✌️

Monica