Sometimes we become so immersed in our daily routines that we can overlook the subtle signs that indicate we need a break or a change.  The familiarity, busyness, or even perception of our routines can sometimes mask the need for self-reflection and adjustments. 

I am human.  And won’t ever claim otherwise.  I am far from perfect, and I make mistakes.  Loads of them.  Even though I teach (and preach) self-care, self-compassion, and many related topics, I have numerous times found myself caught in the chaos of life’s demands, neglecting my own well-being.  It takes a toll, physically and emotionally. 

About six months ago, I was caught in that chaos.  I wasn’t doing what I suggest other people do and I started to get a little fried around the edges.  I took a break, regrouped, and decided to make a change.  I cleaned up my schedule, did healthy menus and cooked at home, minimized and eliminated some unhealthy influences in my life, got up and moved more, took breaks, drank more water, all the usual things.  I was feeling good.  Or so I thought.  Fast forward to a couple weeks ago…

A good friend and I were able to take an amazing trip to the east coast and spend 3 days at an ocean side music festival.  It. Was. Amazing!  It was cloudy and cool (which may not be some people’s ideal beach vacation but for my translucent skin, it was perfect).  It rained some.  There is something cleansing and healing about standing in the rain, don’t you think?  We spent the entire time with our feet in the sand, listening to the ocean waves hit the shore while these amazing bands played music.  People got along and smiled at each other.  We talked to the people around us.  Everything about it was rejuvenating.

And that’s when it hit me.  I was fried around the edges.  Again.  Just in a different way than six months before.  My energy was drained, I was disconnected from myself and the earth (and maybe a bit from my fellow humans as well).  I had been better about the chaos but maybe not as good as I should have been about the peace.  So, I spent those 3 days connecting to myself (while surrounded by 50,000 people), connecting to the earth through the rain and the wind and the sand and the ocean (and toward the end of the weekend when the clouds cleared, the moon and the sun), connecting to music (which is so good for the soul), and allowing myself to feel and release.  I danced.  I cried.  I sat in reflection.  I felt the earth. I felt the music.  I felt reconnected to it all, myself included.

I knew this but maybe didn’t consciously acknowledge it at this time in my life, but through this experience, I was reminded that healing and self-care do not exists on a linear path; there are ups and downs, progress and setbacks. I was doing well in some areas but needed to reassess in some others.  I needed to notice the subtle cues-the restlessness, the weariness, the diminished enthusiasm, the feelings of disconnection. Self-care isn’t just about the big, intentional acts; it’s also about attuning ourselves to the whispers of our own needs.  My needs were telling me that I needed connection (and apparently a sandy beach in Maryland 😉).

We don’t always have the chance to go to a sandy beach in Maryland.  I never have before.  Or a beach at all.  I live in a landlocked state, beaches take time and effort and money.  But we can listen to those whispers and make those adjustments.  Take those breaks.  Our bodies speak our truth and we will know exactly what to do if we just listen.

What’s the point of all of this?  We all need a reminder sometimes.  Even me!

Find was nourishes your soul.

Embrace the idea that healing is a process unique to you.

Self-care is not a luxury but a fundamental part of your journey.

Even when we feel we are doing it all right, sometimes we need a break or a change.

Its ok to take a step back.  Its ok to make adjustments.  Its ok to ask for support.

Its ok to cry on the beach surrounded by 50,000 people.