I am a person who is usually pretty busy, with doctor’s appointments and this new Etsy shop. A brand-new face painting gig and wanting to release my writing. I just go and go because it’s what I do. Maybe a little too much, at my own detriment. It could be some weird coping mechanism.
I step into art class. We open with a meditation. It is simple and quick. Breathing exercises and a little gong. As I am breathing, I realize just how badly my body needed this. To stop and breathe, to close my eyes. To focus on nothing, not what I am doing tomorrow. Not on things to do this week. My mind goes completely blank. It feels nice but unfamiliar. Why do I run myself this ragged? Why do we all? To succeed, to pay the bills, to eat.
I realize I should probably do more of these. I should quite possibly go make my own videos. I enjoy making them anyway. They would help me relax. Pop it up on my phone whenever I want to. I’m going to need to set a reminder!
It amazes me that I need help remembering to breathe. If I were a plant, I would die. I wouldn’t be watered. I would be withered. Self-care is so easy to neglect. We remember to feed everyone else. Did we feed ourselves? When was the last time you drank water? Or did something for yourself. Not because you had to, but because you wanted to?
I refused to cook dinner today. I ordered pizza. I went swimming, and I was tired. That was my gift to myself, a little downtime. That water felt like I was a kid again. So relaxed, no worries, no thoughts. I am learning as an adult; I was doing everything wrong. Too much work and no play or relaxation. I brought my journal up and forgot to write in it! That can help me guide my thoughts. See where I am hung up on. I am even shocked by some of my own words. I had no idea I felt that way. I know an adult diary! I swear it’s so cathartic. Those kids are onto something!
This was written by our contributing writer, Christy Granger.
Image Source: Unsplash, Hristina Šatalova
Leave a Reply