The Beauty Of A Self-Care Summer

Though the summer is still in session, with full confidence, I can honestly say that this summer has been one of the best summers I’ve ever had. It’s been nothing short of amazing. And one of the reasons I believe it’s been so great is because it’s been filled with a lot of self-care (along with some sprinkles of spontaneity). So much so that many of the pictures I’ve shared on social media have followed with #selfcaresummer.

When the summer began, I had a few things planned and other things I wanted to do too, but I knew I needed to make self-care a priority and allow myself to go with the flow of what this summer could bring. In the past two years, I’ve been super busy. I had a career change, went back to school, purchased my first home, adopted a puppy, picked up a new writing opportunity, spent more time with my family and friends, and then this summer arrived. I knew this summer would be a good time for me to slow down and really be in a space to enjoy all the wonderful things happening in my life.

So one of the first things I did was make out a list of books I wanted to read, movies I wanted to watch, and outings and experiences I wanted to have. And as I made my list, I also reminded myself to be open to seeing where this summer could take me. While it’s great to make lists and plans, it’s also refreshing and exciting to let go and let things flow sometimes too. So as I read books, watched movies, and went out with family and friends, I’d also have moments of downtime in between where I allowed myself to be still. There have been days when I walked through each room in my house and thought, “Wow, I have my own home. This is amazing.” I’ve also had prayer time and talks with God about where I’m at in this season of my life as a 32-year-old who never would have imagined her life would be where it is now. And I’ve allowed myself to loosen up and have more fun.

I can tell I’ve really been enjoying this summer because, according to my recent weigh in, I’ve gained 8 lbs. of what I’m calling “summer love weight.” And to my surprise, I’m not freaking out about it. I know I look fine and can shake the gained weight off easily (I work out every week and count calories). But for the most part, I’ve been eating what I want, along with some dessert here and there, so being comfortable with myself and my body has been an act of self-care and self-love too. This self-care summer has been a happy time filled with delicious food and drinks, time with family and close friends, more quality time with my fur baby, live music, beautiful flowers, and making lots of new memories. It’s just been a great time in a lot of special ways, and I’m so grateful I’ve been able to enjoy it. If you’re reading this right now, I hope this summer has been a great one in some special ways for you too.

The Day I Became A Kidney Donor

About a year ago, I had a dream my dad wanted to talk to our family about something serious. I wasn’t sure what he wanted to discuss, but I knew it was something I needed to prepare myself for. Around the time after I had this dream, I remember stopping by my parents place and sensing something was going on that they weren’t telling me. I tried to dismiss what I’d been feeling, but I couldn’t shake it. Something serious was happening. As I returned to my home after visiting them one day, I was in my kitchen washing dishes when a heaviness hit my heart like nothing I’d ever felt before. Something’s wrong with dad. That’s what that dream was about. God, what’s going on? As I continued washing dishes, I started crying and praying. Then in mid-spring, my dad held an unexpected family meeting that would change all our lives forever. He hesitated at first, and as his voice started cracking and he started crying, he said, “Well, I wanted to talk to ya’ll to tell you that I have kidney disea...

I’m Glad I’m Not Married

When I was about five years old, I was sitting in the backseat of my dad’s car when me, him, my older cousin (my aunt’s son), and my aunt (my dad’s sister) caught my aunt’s fiancé with another woman. My dad had been driving my aunt out to run some errands since she didn’t have a driver’s license or a car. When she spotted her man with another woman, she told my dad to pull the car over, got out of the car, and immediately addressed him. She wanted the keys back to her apartment and was done with him. The other woman she caught her fiancé with slapped him when she realized what was happening, and that was that. When my aunt returned to the car, she was clearly and understandably upset, and the ride back to her place was quiet. Although I was too young to fully grasp what was happening at the time, I knew it wasn’t good. And now, at 34 years old, I can’t imagine how much pain she was in. Her wedding had been planned and paid for – and she never made it down the aisle. My aunt was a beaut...

How To Respond To A Nasty Email

Technology has made many people bold, rude, and incredibly messy. Often to the point where some may hide behind words they’ve typed instead of verbally communicating a message they want to convey. Such can be the case when it comes to sending emails. Ah, emails. You know what they are. Electronic messages that can be quickly drafted, sent, and misinterpreted (because you can’t always interpret tones or emotions through them). Which is why it’s key to know how to respond to nasty emails if they should ever come your way – especially in the workplace. As a working professional, there have been plenty of times when a coworker or superior sent an email my way that was petty, mad disrespectful, and unprofessional. And before I learned how to properly utilize email etiquette, my first instinct would always be to clap back. I just felt the need to respond and to communicate that I wouldn’t allow anyone, no matter who they were, to disrespect me. And while I haven’t taken t...

Making Waves