Spring break!

Here’s my suggestion: give yourself a break! 

The change of seasons can sometimes catch us unawares, feeling a little more tired, not quite able to snap into the time change. I’ve read that it can take a whole week for our bodies to adjust. So what if, instead of forcing ourselves onward, we tried being really kind to ourselves? 

What if we gave ourselves the time and care to bloom in this gorgeous season, right along with the exquisite cherry trees? Did you know the Tidal Basin trees are carefully tended by the U.S. Park Service every year, especially diligently beginning in February, to be sure peak bloom is magical? That’s how they are thriving. It doesn’t just happen.  

I made a conscious decision to tend to myself this spring. 

I’m taking a yoga class every week. I haven’t done that in years! I found a wonderful studio that’s feels just right to me, and I’m there every Thursday at noon. I just make it happen. And I’m going for a run with my dog every morning. I’ve wanted to exercise daily for years! And I’m finally doing it. 

There’s a part of me that’s asking, is it really okay for me to spend so much time with myself? Is it okay for me to have my mom take care of my daughter so I can spend two hours with my closest professional colleagues?

Yes it is, because I’m blooming, I’m thriving. 

I call this extreme self-care.

I have an image of a beach, and moving stones along a beach -- instead of so many balls in the air. Instead of subscribing to a life of “busyness” and stress, what if we have a mindset that life is really full. Work, family, chores, interests… We don’t have enough time for everything, so we need to make priorities, in a non-crisis oriented way. We’re just moving the stones along. 

How do we get the strength to do that? Extreme self-care. Making ourselves a priority, helping ourselves to thrive. Newsflash: it’s up to us!

It’s a calmer framework for living: caring for ourselves, and building a thriving life. 

I invite you to join me!