51. Wellness + Movement
It’s been a while, hasn’t it? If you’re anything like me, you’re already feeling behind and it’s only the second month of 2021. Maybe your word of the year has yet to find you. Maybe your planner is somewhere in the stack of papers and receipts. It’s okay. You have time. We have time. This rush to start on the first day of the year … what’s the rush? We have the rest of this year to start and even to start, stop, and re-start. If you’re anything like me, maybe you should stress less about where you are (or are not) in your big picture and focus more on being good to yourself. Allow yourself to imagine that.
After all of December and January’s drama (those two months brought it hard this go round) and moving my eldest to Alabama, I've been quiet. I spiraled down (not depressed down but digging deep down) and reflected, trying to pinpoint the things that truly matter to me. I laid low on social media, I worked, I spent time with family, I kept my head down in an act of radical self-love that I plan to keep at the forefront of my mind.
Between my dad’s health issues and my daughter/right hand girl moving, I've been riding the waves of overwhelm while doing my best to lean into life and all it brings—joy, pain, laughter, longing. It’s not easy having a big piece of your heart living 339 miles away, having your dad in hospital overseas and unable to be there because of a certain virus, having your mother’s voice in your head (will she ever shut up?) telling me I think too much and therefore something must be wrong with me.
As we move into February, my birthday month, I have decided to be gentle with myself. To do all the self-care things. To skip cleaning the house without feeling bad about it. Checking in with my collective frequently. I’m embracing the fact that healing is a forever thing which will continue to shape and shift me, getting me closer to my best self but most likely never to the end point. Because really, if we’re not growing and changing, are we really living?
All of this to say that as you move into February and deeper into 2021, I hope you are being gentle with yourself and giving yourself permission to take your time and explore who you are, what your priorities really are. Lean into joy whenever possible.
Be gentle with yourself.
This week’s writing prompt:
The story you tell yourself is everything. What are you telling yourself in the moments when you’re at your happiest? What are you telling yourself in the moments you’re feeling despair? Remember, you’re the same person no matter where you find yourself emotionally and you are deserving of love and happiness.
PS: I have made the decision to not be active on FB (except for checking in with family far and wide). I have set up a group on Telegram where I’ll be posting content on health and wellness just like I did on FB. If you’re on Telegram, I’d love for you to join the wellness collective!