Nourishing yourself in a way that helps you blossom in the direction you want to go is attainable, and you are worth the effort.—Deborah Day

For years I’ve sat with my journal and a pen to confess that I’m “not getting enough done,” “lagging behind,” or “out of focus.” It’s as if this storyline is on repeat in my head and, honestly, has been the past two decades.

While this isn’t a post about how I’ve sorted it out and no longer struggle with it (considering its continued presence is what inspired this post), I did want to share how I work to combat this storyline through making self-care a priority.

For Year of Tranquility I created a self-care practices checklist filled with 15 tools ranging from restful sleep, to mindful movement, to journaling, to creative play. Download your copy here. The idea is not to add more to-dos to our plates, but to reflect on whether we’re getting our basic needs met.

When I find myself out of sorts—rushing, snippy, discouraged—I turn to this list as a way to regroup and remind myself that unless I’m filling my own well, I can’t give as fully as I’d like to anyone else.

It’s Sunday before noon and I’m sitting at the table typing away while sipping a green smoothie and contemplating the projects on today’s plate. There’s a longing to go play and a reminder that I didn’t get through as many items yesterday as I’d hoped.

Who will win? Play time or work time. My hope is that it doesn’t have to be an either-or scenario.

It comes down to navigating this constant tug of war mindfully. Today I’ll hunker down for a bit with a few projects, then take space mid-afternoon to walk the pups, sit fireside, read for pleasure, and then return to prepare for the week ahead.

For years I operated under the assumption that I had to get it all down. Now I’m getting more comfortable with things being delayed, reevaluating whether I even want to keep something on my to-do list, and noticing those storylines as they creep up. Those darn storylines!

I try to remind myself that my well-being is a priority. If not, others around me suffer because I’m operating out of depletion and that’s not pretty. Ask Tim! Making me a priority isn’t selfish, it’s self-respect.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to finish my Morning Pages. May your Sunday be a beautiful blend of doing mixed with being and a releasing of outdated and unhelpful storylines. Bisous. x