self-care
-
Changing Seasons
There’s always that moment every year when you walk outside and just know the seasons are changing. The air feels crisp, the mornings are darker, and suddenly your go-to outfits need an extra layer. Every year, it kind of catches me off guard. Oh right, we’re doing this again. The shift always takes a little…
-
Crafting A Village
No one really tells you what it feels like to not have community. Not in the sense of being alone for a weekend, but in that quiet, lingering way that makes everyday life feel emptier. There’s a particular kind of ache that comes from realizing you don’t have a solid group to fall back on,…
-
A Normal Weekend
My “normal” weekend isn’t some elaborate or expensive event filled calendar, it’s just a soft rhythm of things that make me feel connected again while getting centered for a new work week. It always starts with a hot beverage, not usually coffee. An apple cider or a hot cocoa with fun toppings. Not rushed, just…
-
Finding Balance Again
There’s something so special about the moment life starts to feel colorful again after a long stretch of burnout. For a while, everything feels muted as though you’re moving through fog, just trying to survive the day. You do what needs to be done, but it’s all mechanical. The spark is gone. But then, slowly,…
-
Letter to the Version of Me Who Was Trying So Hard
Dear younger me, Listen to your mom when she says to enjoy being young. Education was a focal point growing up. You learned early that gold stars and straight A’s were how people saw your worth. Schools that promoted academic rigor were all you knew. At 16, you were already learning how to balance a…
-
Weekend Recovery – In Reality
Sometimes, recovery doesn’t mean doing nothing. For me, a “recovery weekend” often includes folding laundry, getting groceries, reorganizing my space, or catching up on small tasks that have been sitting on my to-do list for weeks. It’s about clearing the mental clutter that’s been adding onto the burnout, or adding up because of it. Some…
-
Burnout Comes in Waves – And That’s Okay
Yesterday I shared a post about what burnout feels like — that slow, creeping heaviness that can sneak up even when you think you’re managing everything just fine. I talked about how it can show up in small ways first — like irritability, exhaustion that sleep doesn’t fix, or feeling detached from things you normally…
-
When Burnout Feels Soul Crushing
Burnout doesn’t always show up loud. Sometimes it’s just this quiet heaviness that follows me around, a dull weight that makes everything harder than it should be. Even things I want to do feel impossible, like they’re a mountain instead of a small step. That’s when I know it’s not just being tired, it’s something…
-
Pushing Through the “Even More Tired” Phase
When you first decide to add more fun, social, or active things into your life, you expect to feel more fulfilled right away. You imagine yourself going to that community event, hitting the pool after work, or saying yes to a weekend camping trip and instantly feeling whole again. Reality is a little different. At…
-
15 Minute Refresh Activities
Sometimes people think self-care has to be this big thing that takes significant time and often a lot of money. A trip away, time at the spa, an expensive gym membership, or hours set aside to really relax. The truth is, even 15 minutes can completely change how you feel. If you are stressed, dragging…
life outside of 9-5 