I didn’t sign-up for this. . .
Ladies, it. has. been. a. week. Actually, scratch that, it has been a year. I’m sure we can all agree that our emotions have been an accumulation of everything during the past 10 months. I don’t remember signing up for this version of 2020, I think I forgot to read the fine print.
It seems like everyone is going through the same thing this year, but in different ways. Every conversation begins with something like “this is crazy” and ends with “hopefully 2021 is better.” We can see the finish line and 2020 is coming to a close, but maybe you still feel like this…
We’re here to help you put out that fire and find your peace again. First, take a deep breathe and stay awhile. Congratulations! You have officially made it to chapter 11 of 2020, and (surprise) there’s only 12 chapters. Sometimes, it’s easy to be consumed by all the happenings in the world that we forget it doesn’t take much time or effort to realign with ourselves and catch our breathe.
Everyone does this in different ways, so here is a list and some helpful tools to help you realign with yourself and peace. . .
Meditate —Close out the world and empty your mind. This meditation will leave you refreshed and rejuvenated.
Yoga— Thanks to YouTube, we have endless Yoga tutorials at our fingertips. #workbreak Close the laptop and roll out the mat, Yoga with Adriene is a perfect go-to yoga instruction and she has yoga for different goals and time constraints!
Read —(these poems are from a previous Woman of the Week Jenay Ross)— I know, weird to take a break and read, but reading can take you to a different world (sign me up).
Sleep—This isn’t always the easiest or most convenient option, but remember to listen to your body and give it what it needs!
Journal— #brainbreak grab a piece of paper, a writing utensil and just write. You can write about anything, the whole idea is to clear your mind and release any tension preventing you from thriving.
Technology Break—Put the phone down and save that “per my last email” for later, maybe even delete social media you know is draining you or stealing your precious time. Try not to immediately go to technology when you get a break, it take more of a toll on us than we realize. Don’t get me wrong, this is a lot easier said than done.
Create—Express yourself and release your emotions through art of your choice.
Listen to Music— Make a new playlist or finally binge listen to that new album.
Take a bath—Who doesn’t love a good bath? Put on your face mask, light the candles, press play on your favorite playlist, pour the wine and chill.
Audre Lorde
“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” – A Burst of Light, 1988
In all honesty, we appreciate a list of self-care tips and validation of our feelings, but it doesn’t help us if we don’t actually ever practice it. You are important in every aspect, physically, mentally and emotionally. In order to fulfill our roles in life, we must take care of our first job and that is to ourselves.
You should never feel guilty about taking care of yourself. This goes beyond physical acts or shopping sprees (#guilty, stress shopping is a real thing! We’ll save that for another blog)
@alex_elle is a #mustfollow instagram account that always pulls through with the truth that we know and need but can’t always put into words.
Her most recent post is about Affirmations for Letting Go and the first affirmation is:
I am choosing to release holding it together and pretending like everything is okay for the comfort of others.
PPG hustlers, we know you are strong, resilient, hard working, determined, and so much more. In this season, and any other, remember this affirmation. Even hustlers aren’t always okay and that’s okay! We cannot pour into our purpose from an empty cup.
xoxo