Blog - Cathy Arroyo, Author

The Gift of Routine - Welcome to a New School Year!

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The Gift of Routine – Welcome to a New School Year!

The Gift of Routine – Welcome to a New School Year! I’ve always found great comfort in routine. There’s something about the start of a new school year that feels a little like standing at the edge of something great. For me, as I begin the new school year as an administrator, I find myself reflecting on my own experiences as a student, parent, and an employee. Each of those stages brought a different perspective to the beginning of the school year, but there was always a familiar mix of anticipation, excitement, nervousness, and uncertainty. For students there can be excitement about seeing friends, meeting new teachers, learning new things,

August 25, 2026 No Comments

personal development

Learning to Pause Before Saying No

Learning to Pause Before Saying No For as long as I can remember, I defaulted to “no.” Invitations, opportunities, new ideas — even simple suggestions — often were met with a quick, internal refusal before I even really considered them. At the time, I didn’t think much about it. It was the way I navigated the world. Now, I see it clearly. When my kids asked for something small like inviting a friend over to spend the night, I answered almost automatically. “No, not tonight.” Not because I didn’t want them to, but because my mind raced ahead to the obstacles. We didn’t have the right food. I was too

July 22, 2026 No Comments

Rate It: Stay or Go! book cover. A guide to help you decide whether to stay or move on - and take control of your life! By Author Cathy Arroyo

self-help

A Behind the Scenes Look at the Writing of Rate It: Stay or Go!

A Behind the Scenes Look at the Writing of Rate It: Stay or Go! Life is full of decisions. Some are small, like what to cook for dinner, and others feel monumental. Choosing whether to stay in a job that you’re unsure of, end a relationship that’s no longer healthy, or even move to a new city. For years, I found myself in certain situations or roles, unsure how to weigh my options or trust my own judgment. That’s when I discovered the power of a simple, regular practice: rating the areas of my life. THE MOMENT THAT SHIFTED EVERYTHING Years ago, I worked at a job that looked fine

July 5, 2026 No Comments

Cathy and Dennis atop the Monte Solaro Chairlift overlooking beautiful Italy

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The Amalfi Coast: A Beautiful Finale to Our Italian Love Story and Anniversary

The Amalfi Coast: A Beautiful Finale to Our Italian Love Story and Anniversary The beauty and elegance of the Amalfi Coast captured a piece of my heart. With its dramatic cliffs, colorful villages, sparkling blue waters, and slower pace, the Amalfi Coast is the perfect place to pause, breathe, and savor the moment. After days spent exploring historic landmarks and bustling cities, we enjoyed settling into the relaxed rhythm of coastal Italy. Getting to Amalfi turned out to be more of an adventure than we anticipated. By this point in the trip, our already overpacked suitcases seemed to have gained weight with every city we visited. We hauled them from

June 14, 2026 No Comments

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Chianti, Tuscany, Vineyards and the Perfect Travel Partner

Chianti, Tuscany, Vineyards, and the Perfect Travel Partner On our third day in the Tuscany region, we traded city streets for rolling hills and vineyards. The Tuscan countryside looks almost exactly as you imagine it: winding roads, cypress trees, stone farmhouses, and vineyards stretching across the landscape. Every turn seemed to reveal another postcard-worthy view. A day in the Chianti Region provided a wonderful contrast to Florence. The pace was slower, the scenery more rural, and the focus shifted to the beauty of the countryside. As our time in Florence comes to a close, we understand why so many people love this city. Florence offers a perfect blend of art,

June 12, 2026 No Comments

On the Ponte Vecchio Bridge in Florence, Italy at sunset

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From the Duomo to Ponte Vecchio: Our First Days Exploring Florence

Our First Days in Florence: A City That Captures the Heart While Rome felt like a living museum layered over a vibrant modern capital, Florence feels more intimate and elegant. The contrast was immediate. Florence is compact enough to explore on foot. The city seems to invite slow wandering through its historic streets, where Renaissance beauty, timeless charm, and centuries of history unfold around every corner. Florence feels like stepping into a different chapter of Italy’s story: smaller in scale, but no less captivating. A SWEEPING VIEW FROM THE TOP We began at the Duomo Complex and climbed Brunelleschi’s Dome, one of Florence’s most iconic landmarks. The narrow stairways and

June 10, 2026 No Comments

Dennis and Cathy in Rome with the Vatican in the background

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An Anniversary Trip to Italy: First Stop, Rome!

An Anniversary Trip: First Stop, Rome For nearly a year, this trip to Italy has lived on our calendars and in our conversations. We booked flights, researched hotels, and compared tours. We sought the advice of friends and family who had traveled there before us. I packed and repacked, trying to choose exactly the right things to bring while fitting everything into as little luggage as possible. We counted down the months, the weeks, and then the days. Finally, we made it. CIAO! A LONGTIME DREAM AND A NEEDED ESCAPE Italy has topped my travel wish list for as long as I can remember. The history, architecture, faith, food, wine,

June 7, 2026 No Comments

Aedan at Air Assault school graduation with mom and stepdad Colonel Arroyo

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Our Military Life Journey: Lessons in Strength, Sacrifice, and Love

Our Military Life Journey: Lessons in Strength, Sacrifice, and Love I grew up in a family connected to the military, but I didn’t experience military life day to day. My father served in the Army at the end of World War II and returned to civilian life before I was born. Several relatives followed similar paths. My uncles served in the Vietnam War, and my cousins joined the National Guard. I understood military service in theory, and I respected it. However, I did not fully understand the weight military life places on families. Families make quiet sacrifices that rarely receive recognition. A NEW CHAPTER — AND A NEW CALLING Everything

May 23, 2026 No Comments

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A Lifetime at the Indianapolis 500 — From Childhood Traditions to VIP Race Day Magic

A Lifetime at the Indianapolis 500 — From Childhood Traditions to VIP Race Day Magic Growing up in Indianapolis, the roar of engines was more than just sound — it was the town’s heartbeat. The Indianapolis 500 wasn’t just something that happened once a year. It was the event. The countdown to race day carried the same weight and anticipation as any major holiday. Some of my earliest memories lead me straight to the track. My family piled into the car – packed coolers, and grabbed snacks. We joined what felt like the entire city heading toward the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Everyone picked a favorite driver. We claimed our spots

May 12, 2026 No Comments

Cathy Arroyo and Stacey Rogers Larsen at Pan American World Airlines graduation from flight attendant school in 1990

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Earning My Wings – My Year as a Pan Am Flight Attendant in New York City

It all started with an ad in the paper. I had been looking for a “real job” because I would graduate in a few months from Purdue University with a bachelor’s degree in Communications. Then something stopped me in my tracks: Pan American World Airways — Now Hiring Flight Attendants. At the time, Pan Am wasn’t just another airline. It defined international travel. It represented glamour, adventure, and a passport to the world, all wrapped into one. The interview took place about an hour away from campus. I convinced a friend to come with me. We thought, “Why not?” We drove to a giant convention hall where maybe a thousand

April 14, 2026 No Comments

Colonel Dennis Arroyo and Cathy Arroyo at Col. Arroyo's retirement ceremony

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Evaluating What is Most Important to You and Making Choices for the Life You Want to Live

Evaluating What is Most Important to You and Making Choices for the Life You Want to Live Life really isn’t about what we have – it’s about what we choose. We don’t always think of it that way. It’s easy to believe that life just happens to us, that circumstances dictate what’s possible. But over time, I’ve learned that a full, joyful life is almost always the result of intentional choices – often small ones, made repeatedly, and sometimes quietly, without much fanfare. For my husband and me, one of the clearest examples of this is how we’ve chosen to live modestly so that we can travel. Early in our

March 31, 2026 No Comments

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When Growing Up Was Simpler – in the 1970s and 1980s

It was different growing up in the 1970s and 1980s. It wasn’t just the clothes we wore, the music we listened to, or the absence of computers and cell phones. Life itself felt simpler. We spent most of our time outside. We rode our bikes everywhere. Neighborhood friends gathered for games like hide-and-seek, and summer evenings were for catching fireflies. We didn’t have a curfew. We went home when it turned dark. Winters included hours upon hours building snow forts and sledding. We didn’t have to check in with our parents and they didn’t track our cell phones. There was a freedom that seems rare today. There were no bike

March 28, 2026 No Comments