taking care of you

The past few days I have been under the weather.  Stuffy nose, fever, sore throat, achy ears; you know the drill.  It happened a few days after coming back from vacation and I felt incredibly guilty about calling in sick to work.  I had just been off for an entire week only a few short days ago, how could I possibly tell them that I was going to stay home?  I knew my body needed to rest but my mind was pushing me hard to just show up.  

Just show I said to myself.  You need to be there.  You can't call out.  But here's the thing; I knew if I showed up I would be incredibly unproductive.  It's hard to stay focused and work, sitting at a desk all day when your body just isn't up for it.  There is only so much you can push until it will all come crumbling down, harder than you when it had started. 

I live in a fast paced world where things need to have been done yesterday, even though I only found out about them today. Constantly on the move. Striving to be better.  Pushing, pushing, pushing.  With all the pushing there are times my body pushes back and forces me to slow down.  But why was my body doing this to me shortly after returning from a week of relaxing?  Hadn't I spent my time slowly down.  Wasn't I recharged enough?  

It is hard to find time to take care of myself.  It always feels over indulgent and I always tend to feel guilty.  But why?  We need to take care of ourselves.  When we do that we are able to be our best selves for those around us.  It is like they say on an airplane; put on your own oxygen mask first.  If you don't do that you won't be able to help those around you.  

Even through the guilt I listened to my body and I stayed home.  I knew it was exactly what I needed and showing up just because I felt I had to wasn't a good enough reason to show up.  I wasn't missing anything important.  I could always take some extra time when I was feeling better to catch up.  The world wasn't going to crumble because I had to stay in bed.  And so I did just that.  I stayed in bed, I rested, and I choose to take care of myself.  

You must choose yourself.  Make the time, even if it means scheduling time just for you.  It is important to tend to your soul.  To be fully present with how you are feeling and follow your gut.  When you body says stay home, listen and take care of yourself.  

I know it is hard but your body will thank you.  You only have one body and once chance to get it right, so go ahead and make the best possible choices that you can.  

How do you take care of yourself?  What do you do to nurture your soul?

what if this was it?

What if this was it?
What if this was your one chance to take a leap into the great unknown
Open your heart
Live out loud
What if you were brave enough in this moment to take the risk you have always wanted to take
What would you do?
Where would you go?
What one thing would you make happen?
We are always waiting for the perfect moment, perfect opportunity, perfect chance
Yet that perfect time never arrives
You have to take advantage of the moments you have right now
Live with intention
Choose the path you want to go down
You have to take things into your own hands
The time is now
Yes, right now
Take a deep breathe in
Close your eyes
Imagine what your next step will be
Open them up, then go for it
What are you waiting for?
This is it
Your time is now
Live in the moment
And leap into the wild unknown

It's time to begin

It's time to begin
The world is waiting for you to shine your light
I understand it may feel scary
But know that you are never alone
Take that brave step forward
Follow where your heart is guiding you
Be present in the moment
And never give up on your dreams

It's time to begin
To say yes to what is lighting you up
And no to what you no longer serves you
Make the choices that feed your soul
And choose the direction you want to travel
Don't get hung up on how it will all come together
Trust your own intuition
Do it your own way

It's time to begin
Believing in yourself
Seeing yourself as the amazing individual you are
Speaking words of kindness when you look in the mirror
Showing the world your bright beautiful smile
Standing tall with your head held high and your shoulders back
Feeling the love that surrounds you
Yes, it is time to fully step into yourself

Don't wait another second longer
Do one small thing today that gets you closer to where you want to be
Lean in and ask for help
Allow others to see your vulnerability
Stay true to who you are
And unearth the potential you have within
It is time to begin
Go ahead, get started

The writing prompt:  "It's time to begin" was pulled from this current round of the Love Notes Postcard project.  Another round started today and my heart is exploding with love knowing that people will be sharing their words with strangers.  

Your words have power. What you share with others has the potential to crack them open.  You never know what one thing will inspire you and you also never know what you do that inspires others.  So put your best foot forward.  Be strong, be brave, be kind.  The world could use all the kindness that people are willing to pour into it.  

Step out from the shadows

The time has come for you to emerge from the shadows.  To stand tall in who you are.  To actively go after your dreams. You were not brought here to act small. Live out loud.  Take up space. Allow yourself the opportunity to be seen and heard by sharing your voice with compassion. Choose grace.  Be curious and open your heart to what is possible. Make plans for the future but do not hold onto them to tightly. Allow  the unknown to unfold before you and unearth the joy it unleashes. Choose to reach out your hand. Be kind to others. Smile often. Know that the good you put out will come back to you and not allow you to stand know the shadows for to long. 

Yes, the time has come for you to shine. Dust off your dancing shoes and get ready to celebrate. Because today is your day. Create it with brilliance and radiate boldly. 

it's time to write your next chapter

We made it.  Through another winter.  Where the darkness crept in but we kept the light burning.  Things slowed down.  The cold air kept us inside.  We hunkered down and hibernated.  Choosing to curl under blankets rather than take off on an adventure.  We were gentle with ourselves.  Easing into the days and quietly settling into the dark nights.  

But we are ready to bloom again.  To step into the sunshine and breathe deeply into what is possible.  It is time to create our own new beginning.  It is time to bring movement and adventure back to our daily lives.  It is time to get outside and run freely.  The spark of creativity is ready to be ignited.  

And so we begin.  On the first day of Spring with hope in our hearts.  We look forward to days filled with light and dream up new adventures to take.  We know the energy that the sun infuses into us and we are ready to blaze a new path forward.  

Time passes quickly.  We must make the most of our moments and write our own incredible stories.  For we are the creators of our life.  We choose where we are going and what we will do when we get there.  Don't waste a single second more.  Begin today to create the most epic story, ever.    

What story are you writing?  What one thing can you do to begin to create the story of your dreams?  

Writing Prompt:  The next chapter of my story is going to include ... 

showing up

As I lay on my yoga mat before class begins the quietness envelopes me. This space is my sacred home. Where I can show up exactly as I am. I do not need to say a word to anyone.  I can quietly walk in, lay down on my mat and be right where I am. There are moments during my practice that I close my eyes and sink deeper into the movement.  I do not worry about what the person next to me is doing, I move the rhythm of my own breathing.  My mat is my sacred space. 

One of my most favorite things about yoga is there is no judgement.  You can show up and simply choose to lay on your mat and breathe, and that is ok.  You move your body the way it moves.  You can as far as you want, as far as you can go.  There is no expectation to look like anyone else.  Your practice is yours alone and it is called a practice for a reason. 

I choose to show up on my mat.  There are days my body doesn't want to move.  Moments when the pose feels to hard or my mind just isn't in the game.  But then their are those magical days when all the stars are are aligned and I move with grace and ease. Stepping into the room I never know how I will adjust and settle in.  But one thing I know for certain is that I must show up.  

I try to transfer this feeling of just showing up into my every day life. Just being as I am with no expectations.  It is not alway any easy thing to do.  But when I lose my way I remind myself to slow down and just breathe.