Goooood morning!!
Or whatever time of day it is that this email has found you (:
Ahhh, happy June, you all!!! Like what?! Entering the 6th month of the year and I can hardly believe it. Thanks for being here. I hope May was good to you and June is even better.
There are lots of new friends here- welcome! I feel like I say that in every newsletter, ha. But really, thank you for being here (: How amazing it is that this community just continues to grow and grow. Just a gentle reminder that this email comes only once a month, on the first Monday and has no other purpose than to maybe bring you a little bit of joy and a sense of calm in the chaos that can sometimes be life. I think there is so much beauty in connection- so that's why I do this. It's beyond worth it.
May was a tricky one. Anyone else?! Sheesh it was absolutely gorgeous here in NC but the month definitely threw some challenges my way that really required me to stop, sit and consider, and then make some aligned decisions. One of the hardest parts, and maybe why the month overall felt difficult, was spending 3 weeks out of my own space to housesit. So, when I was considering what I wanted this month's newsletter to be about, "space" kept coming to mind- which is also ironic because "space" is my word for 2024.
When I think of space the first place my brain goes is home life. My safe space. It's my bedroom where I sleep, it's the couch or front porch I sit at and drink my coffee, it's the little corner nook in my home that I often journal at. Those cozy, comforting spaces. More recently, and one of the reasons I chose "space" as my word for 2024, I have been considering it as simply room to be. Increasing the time in between things (tasks, conversations, appointments, etc.) and not having to fill the emptiness. Leaving that space as openness and embracing the opportunities that wait for us when we slow the freak down, see what's inside, and simply be.
Simply being sounds really nice when you're not a task-driven, detail-oriented and "productivity is power" kind of person like me... sweating emoji- it's a blessing and a curse, y'all. Oftentimes we don't feel like we've done enough until we accomplish just one more task or reach that goal. We get sucked into the busyness of life and nearly drown trying to juggle the job, the friends, the family, the relationship, the "get enough water and eat enough protein". It can be so exhausting. So we begin to find our worth in our ability to check these things off like items on a grocery list.
Another reason we avoid slowing down and creating space is because we're scared of what we'll find. We're unsure of what we might feel when we actually stop and listen to what's going on inside of us. Maybe we discover that we are flat out, point blank, exhausted. Or that we're actually quite scared and anxious about the future and what's going on in the world. Maybe it's that we're actually incredibly unhappy and we're about one event going wrong from being in a very, very dark place.
The hard truth is that there will always be another task, another milestone, another goal. If we wait to rest or "to be" until we finally have everything accomplished, we'll be waiting a lifetime. Creating space in our body, mind and soul gives us a chance to really get to know ourselves and when we get to know ourselves we have a better chance of living in alignment. Making choices like friendships we surround ourselves with, boundaries with family, moving and nourishing our bodies, taking the right jobs and not settling for toxic partners- that kind of living in alignment. Not just talking the talk but walking the walk. It can sound silly or too abstract and vague, but in my opinion, so much of feeling at ease, joyous and peaceful originates from slowing down and getting to know yourself.
So here's what this looks like for me, because I am no different. This is actually something I struggle with immensely although I do put forth a lot of effort. Journaling with no rules, guidelines or expectations. Just expressing. It also looks like spending a LOT of time in nature and less time in the false reality and comparison trap that is social media. It's putting my bare feet on sand, grass, water, pavement, etc. It's being in tune with myself so I know the second I am experiencing a stress response or hard emotion and then breathing through that emotion. It's going outside and looking at the shape of the clouds. It's being silly and choosing to play or dance when a good song comes on or your body just wants to do a cartwheel.
Productivity can coexist with play. Rest can coexist with hustle. We can, in fact, still be powerful while knowing when we need to create more space and simply enjoy what is right in front of us. After all, that is truly all we have anyway. This month of June let's remind ourselves often of the preciousness of life. Create some space. Listen to what's going on inside of you. And don't forget to extend grace.
One day at a time.
We've got this.
I'm rooting for you.
I'm rooting for all of us.
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