Hello my friend.
At first I must reveal, the past several months for me have been, well, draining and sometimes downright hard. 
I lost myself you see.
I allowed my “to do” list to overtake me to the point I just couldn’t do it anymore.
I allowed myself to become overwhelmed…
With life…
With my work…
With my house move…
I lost my joy for a time. I almost quit.
The little inner voice seemed quieter than normal.
I felt numb.
My intuition seemed further away and disconnected.
And then, I remembered.
I wasn’t taking any time for me at all.
Until I crashed and realized…
The painting could wait a day.
That box could get unpacked another day.
If I missed a social media post, so be it.
I HAD TO COME BACK TO ME.
I had to take steps to reclaim my JOY.
It was a matter of life or death in so many ways.
Have you ever noticed dear friend?
Life gives us clues when we’re on a “too busy” path…to stop…take time…recalibrate…reexamine what’s really important.
And it’s OKAY to check out for a bit.
It’s necessary to RECALIBRATE.
It’s imperative to take care of the SELF and recognize “I’m not okay”. To FOCUS on what we need and schedule in some self-care.
After all, we’d allow that for our spouse or partner and for our kids, wouldn’t we?
We’d understand it for our parents and grandparents and best friends.
We don’t have to be SUPERWOMEN all the time. As a matter of fact, we cannot be, for our own GOODNESS, SANITY, and JOY.
Sometimes we must give ourselves permission to JUST BE, and
To reflect on the things that make us happy…
To do new things that spark interest…
To practice gratitude for the good things in our life.
To remember what lit us up as kids…and just do it. For me it was books and biking and being outside and roller skating and spending time with my grandmothers and my dad.
Three of those things I can do now. The fourth thing I have a bit of fear about but would like to try again. And as for my grandmothers and my dad, they all have long since passed, but I can look at their photos, send them a prayer, and journal about our times together and this always brings a smile to my face.
I intuitively know they are still supporting me.
This might seem a bit weird. I have also kept most of the greeting cards I’ve ever received in a box and there is something so special about seeing their handwriting in beautiful cards they sent to me. It connects me with them.
It reminds me of their love and warmth and smiles and how they made me feel like I was the only person in the room. They were safety and happiness and comfort for me.
It makes me smile to type these last few paragraphs today as good memories come flooding back. And like the quote goes, and I apologize I cannot give the credit to whomever said this first, but people will always remember how you make them feel. (I think it may have been Maya Angelou).
Isn’t this so very true? We remember the people the most who either made us really happy or who hurt us very deeply.
If you’re currently in this place or any of my story resonates for you, please remember to stop and find a way to come back to yourself.
Please hear this...
YOU ARE IMPORTANT. YOU ARE WORTHY. YOU ARE ENOUGH. AND YOU DESERVE TO PUT YOURSELF FIRST.
As we move into the upcoming holidays and beyond, I hope you will keep this in mind.
Your Homework:
1. Make a list of the things, activities, people, and times that make you feel the happiest and most at peace.
2. Schedule just one of those things this week and immerse yourself within the self-care. Remember that self-care isn't selfish, it's imperative for your wellbeing.
3. Reflect on how you feel after engaging in your chosen self-care time. How did it feel? What gifts did it provide for you?
4. Finally, when will you make the next self-care date with yourself? Put it into your calendar!
You are always supported my friend. Enjoy this exercise and let me know how it goes for you.
Karen 
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