In honor of International Self Care Day I am taking care of my soul the best way I know how. I haven’t felt quite like myself in months. My business partner and I had a video chat yesterday and as I opened up to her and we quickly realized what was missing for me. As I sat down on the train this morning ideas started pouring out of me and I realized that I haven’t written a “headspace” article in so long or really any blogs AT ALL! 

I won’t lie, for a writer, I suck at sticking to weekly blog posts. Why? I create content every single day for my social media. I create content to mentor my coaching team and in my wellness groups. I create lesson plans & writing activities for my classroom. I often justify not sitting down to write because I know I can’t spread myself too thin and I need to keep the main thing the main thing. I need to focus on tasks that push my business forward.

But I when I discuss mental health, self-care, self-love, and doing what you love- I am immediately drawn back to my words. If you are a writer you understand. If you are a dancer you understand. If you feel called to any creative expression, you understand. Simply put, when I don’t write, I don’t feel like myself. When I don’t feel like myself sometimes I don’t write. Sometimes the very thing that seems the most difficult is exactly what you need.

As I write this I feel a deep full body exhale. I feel a full body FUCK YES. Silly Susie. This is what you have been missing. Why do we learn the same lessons again and again? When I am consistently blogging I feel awesome, purposeful, creative and full— why would I ever stop?

The compound effect is ever present in our lives. Small things are easy to do and easy not to do but when we do them consistently we have a massive reward. When we don’t do them, it doesn’t seem like a huge deal the first couple times, but then we fall out of the habit, we come up with more excuses and we slowly turn a molehill into a mountain. A mountain we can’t quite climb. For me, my mountain has been writing! Something I love to do. Something I thrive off of. How could I possibly turn my saving grace into a scary and treacherous mountain?

Mindset. Our mind is so powerful. I felt like my blog didn’t have as large of an audience as I would like. I didn’t have that drilled in & specific niche for my blog which is a big “no-no.” I felt like I was the only one who knew if I showed up for my weekly headspace. “I’m allowed to miss one week.” One week turned into two and then months slipped by.

But truthfully, I lost touch with the whole reason I started my headspace series(and essentially my whole blog) in the first place. My headspace is for me. I have been told by many friends and followers that it’s inspiring and raw and others glean hope and comedic relief from it (thank gawd) but I genuinely have to continue it with myself in mind. Writing these is a selfish act of self- love because I feel like me when I write and I can’t turn my therapy into another task on my endless to do list. I can’t put off the things that fills my cup in order to fill the cups of others.

I’m here to show up and show myself (and you) not to turn a mole hill into a mountain. Even when you don’t know how to start again or what exactly to say. The time is NEVER perfect to begin and especially begin again. The longer you wait, the harder it will be.

My assignment for you: (Teacher Susie is back you guys) If you have something that brings you pure joy— painting, golf, writing, photography, swimming, etc. GO DO IT. This week. Don’t wait. Don’t put it off. Everything on your to-do list can wait or be reorganized. Self-care isn’t just face masks and bubble baths, self care is doing the things that make you feel alive and doing them frequently!

In the last few months I’ve watched many close friends near and far lose their life or lose loved ones— the bittersweet reminder how precious and fragile life truly is. If you had a week to live- what would you want to do? If you don’t do ANY of that this week- it’s time to reevaluate your priorities! My words have always been both my escape from reality and my deepest understanding of reality. I feel like myself when I am writing and this is a vow not to let it slip away again. Today is the day. 

“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”

To health, wealth & soul,

Susie