I ran 500 miles one summer in high school and it was one of the most profound experiences I’ve had in my whole entire life. It was f*ing hard. There were so many days I didn’t want to run. My legs were screaming. I had never been a "runner” and it certainly didn’t come naturally to me. Some days I had to sacrifice other things to get my run in. I built lifelong friendships with my teammates. I worked my way from not being able to run a mile to a co-captain spot. It certainly wasn’t always pretty. Definitely never perfect. I had a lot of support. Oh, and, did I mention it was really f*ing hard and scary? But here’s the thing… I did it and here’s what I learned:⠀
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I can do really hard things. ⠀
I can do anything I set my mind to. ⠀
I can commit to something for myself and stick to it. ⠀
I can count on and trust in ME.⠀
I can see the scary thing that I’m chasing and go after it, even when it flips my world upside down.⠀
I will always take a bet on me because even when I fail, I can feel real good about the fact that I gave it my all.⠀
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Nowadays I run a whole heck of a lot less but I push myself in many other ways. All this to say… take a bet on you. Commit to loving yourself. Commit to living in your integrity even when it feels risky or uncertain or hard. Commit to flipping your world upside down every once in a while. I believe in you, do you?⠀ … See MoreSee Less
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No one really has all of their shit together all of the time. I kid you not. No one feels like they have all the answers or knows exactly what they’re doing. There’s no right or wrong way to do any of this life stuff.⠀
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I’m a big advocate for slowing down, reflecting and pausing to be intentional with our choices and our life but here’s the thing — it doesn’t end there. You’ve got to put in some of the hard work to put what you want into action. You’ve got to start DOING some things and not just thinking about them. I know it’s hard and I know it can be scary. Part of learning to #adult is learning to do your best and try, even when you’re unsure. ⠀
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It’s okay if you fall. You’ll stand back up again. Humans are resilient fricken beings, and that means YOU are a resilient being. A stagnant life ain’t no fun. You risk missing out on a whole lot. Do something for you because it’s really, truly the only way you’ll figure out what works for you in life. ⠀
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What’s one thing you’re DOING for you and your life this week? … See MoreSee Less
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That feeling when you’re looking at a completely open schedule for the weekend. HALLELUJAH!! Current weekending plans: Marie Kondo-ing my closet, drinking lots of slow coffee, sitting outside and reading, and maybe a yoga class or two. DAS IT! ⠀
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What are you getting up to? Happy weekending! 🌠 … See MoreSee Less
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I woke up like dis 😜 – No but for real – about 2 years ago (almost to the day) this is how I woke up on a Saturday morning. Cute, right?⠀
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This is what happened for me when I ignored my stress. This is what happened for me when I tried to push through. This is what happened for me when I didn’t let myself rest. This is what happened for me when I wasn’t nourishing and moving my body or my mind.⠀
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I had felt the swelling and irritation starting on Friday night. I took some benedryl and went to bed early just to wake up to this gem in the morning (my husband now lovingly refers to this as Sloth pic from the Goonies 🤪). There was a lot going on at the time – working full time for FREE with a packed case load for the first time, finishing grad school, living across the country from everyone and everything I knew, studying for clinical exams, planning a wedding cross country and my (now) husband had left for his first deployment about a week before this happened. It was a lot. I felt really heavy. A mixture of stress and lifestyle demands stopped me in my tracks. ⠀
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I didn’t know how to prioritize time for myself yet. I didn’t know that resting is one of my absolute necessities in life, especially in this field of work. I didn’t know yet that I have Celiac’s Disease or that many make up products have gluten in them?? I didn’t know yet that I didn’t have to follow the beat of a traditional life/career path when it didn’t feel right for me. I didn’t know yet that it was okay to not do it all. I didn’t know who I was on a truly deep level yet.⠀
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I haven’t shared this photo here before but waking up like this catapulted a lot of change in my life. When I talk about stress and anxiety exploding in our faces (or in my case, on my face), I’m serious. Don’t "push through it." Listen to your gut. Make time for you. It’s really, really fricken important. ⠀ … See MoreSee Less
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Did anyone ever teach you how to healthfully manage the emotional ebbs and flows of life? PROBS NOT. Did anyone ever give you space to explore 329874298 different ways to handle all of the expectations and possibilities this world sends us? Also, PROBS NOT.⠀
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We can be so dang mean to ourselves for not knowing these things, and yet, how could we? There was no class in 2nd grade on emotional intelligence. There was no free time in high school for thinking about big picture things we want for our lives (sans pressure to have the right answer right away). There was no time in college or young adulthood to pause, take up space and slow the eff down. ⠀
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We want so deeply to have a life that feels good on many levels – in relationship, friendships, careers, finances, family, health, etc. – and we SHOULD. But here’s the thing – it’s going to take some practice and time AND attention. It won’t always go smoothly and you won’t always get it right. ⠀
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Be gentle with yourself. You’re doing the best you can, and if you’re not, take a moment and ask yourself, what’s getting in the way? Then send that part of you some love and think about how to make mooooves. This is your life. This is your call. ✨ … See MoreSee Less
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