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So, apparently, April is “Stress Awareness Month…” Who knew? Although I don’t really think we need a month to remind ourselves that we’re stressed out since we feel it pretty much every day. So often I’ve said that I was dropped off at the wrong competition. We’re all out there looking for tools to de-stress yet using our high levels of overwhelm and busy schedules as proof that we’re successful. It’s incredibly counterintuitive and honestly not all that helpful when it comes to our well-being and mental health. I don’t believe that it’s possible to live in a stress-free world, at least not for me…I can’t see what that reality might look like. And trying to hide from our stress or ignore it only seems to compound it. However, I feel that we can find tools to work through stress and decrease or manage stress so that our stress levels don’t dictate how we make decisions, impact our relationships, and land us with panic attacks in the hospital. Okay, maybe that last example is just me, but I’m here to tell you if we don’t do something about our stress…it can happen. I tend to talk a lot about how meditation and journaling have changed my life and don’t get me wrong, they have, but I want to offer some other tools that are right at our fingertips if sitting quietly isn’t your thing. Let’s look at three areas of our lives where we can start to mitigate stress: Technology I love technology, and I even love social media (most of the time), but so much screen time tends to add to my stress without me even noticing that it’s happening. Every time I get in the car I turn on Google Maps for directions–even when I know where I’m going. Yes, it makes sense, I live in LA and traffic is, well, horrendous, so it’s nice to know how long it’s going to take me to get somewhere. However, I’ve also developed a habit of wanting to beat the time on the GPS and that has not proven all that helpful for me. When I’m driving home from the office there’s no reason I have to have it on or that I need to be in a rush to get there. it’s just become a habit that I turn it on. I find myself constantly checking the screen, and looking at the time, oftentimes more than once per minute. One morning on my way to work when I wasn’t in a rush I didn’t turn it on. My eyes were tired from screen time (even though it was only about 9 am) and I made the conscious choice just to check how long it was going to take, turn off my phone, and put it in the cupholder. I noticed that my breathing slowed. I felt more relaxed. I listened to an audiobook and enjoyed the drive. It decreased my stress level. I found more joy. I felt more relaxed and able to be productive instead of getting to work already feeling behind. As I mentioned in the story above, it was only 9 am and my eyes were tired from various screens. Well, that’s likely because I pick up my phone first thing in the morning out of habit. I start scrolling on social media, check my texts and my emails, and check social media again. The scrolling happens over my morning coffee–one of my favorite times of day and it tends to make me anxious, my mind starts speeding up, and I get overwhelmed before the day has even really begun. Then I spoke to two different friends about their Pinterest habits. They mentioned that instead of scrolling through Instagram or TikTok they look at Pinterest. One, my friend, Emilie Leyes (who by the way does amazing work in the healing space and you should check out their stuff on IG or TikTok @emilieleyes/@emilieleyes.hypnosis respectively), mentioned that she made a vision board on Pinterest that she scrolls through in the mornings or at night when she has that itch to pick up her phone and start scrolling. I tried this and it, too, decreased my stress level. I started my day envisioning things I’m excited about for the future and the present. I felt more at peace, happier, and ready for the day. I also started to find other options for my morning coffee time. Sometimes I now leave my phone upstairs and just talk to Domi or pet Moe, I pick up the latest book I’m reading, or knit a row or two of the baby blanket I’m working on. It helped me realize that there are other options than what has become habitual. There are little things we do every day around technology that increase our stress without us even noticing it. But we can make conscious choices about what we want to be doing instead. First, become aware of what is habitually creating stress. Start doing one thing at a time to help you realize and become more mindful of the activities you do just out of habit. Second, choose to do something else. You can try as many different things as you like until something feels enjoyable and like it’s working. You can opt to do the habitual thing too, just as long as you’re aware you’re doing it and actively are choosing to do “the thing.” Third, take note of how you feel when you make the switch. It might feel uncomfortable for a moment. You might miss the habitual “thing.” That’s okay, you can choose something else at any time, just notice what is going on with your stress level. Fourth, continue to make a choice. Remember that you are not being forced to do something habitually, you can make a choice and do something else. Now, I’m not saying you need to take Google Maps or Instagram out of your lives (trust me I need Google Maps or someone will find me wandering lost somewhere in Los Angeles) or whatever your technological “thing” is, but just notice when it’s stressing you out and allow yourself to choose something different or limit the time you do the stressful thing. Humans Relationships are so important when it comes to stress. We can spend time with people that give us energy and have us laughing, and feeling renewed afterward. We can also spend time with individuals that suck the energy from us, make us anxious before we even enter the situation, and create dread before seeing them that we all know. Notice who you are spending time with and whether or not you’re enjoying it and how it’s affecting your stress level. I love my friends and I love my family and I love my alone time. Make sure you’re getting a balance of activities that fuels the relationships that bring you the most joy, love, and acceptance possible. Don’t confuse your free time with the time that you are available. I have seen that phrase surfacing all over the internet and I am famous for squeezing as much into a day as possible when it comes to human interactions. But even with the people that energize us and that we love spending time with we can inadvertently create stress for ourselves by overbooking our calendars. It’s okay to block out time to sit home and binge “Love Is Blind.” It’s allowed to have an hour free for lunch where you don’t sit with anyone else if you need a moment. I have struggled as a people pleaser to say no to friends and family, people I adore, because I don’t want them to think I don’t love them, but taking time for myself and sitting in my sweats at home doing nothing is sometimes what I need more than anything. Take care of yourself. Notice how certain relationships affect you either positively, negatively, or neutrally. Decide what you want to do with your time and honor your wants and needs. Take stock of how this affects your stress level. Do you feel less stressed? More stressed? No change? Remember this is all up to you, do what allows you the most peace, love, excitement, joy, and freedom. Time of year Maybe it’s just because I am both the daughter and the wife of an accountant, but April is the busy season (and this is your gentle reminder to call your accountant and do your taxes…omg I cannot believe I am saying that in a blog post…the CPAs in my life are taking over!!). There is so much going on at this time of year for my daddy and Domi. Work is piling up, clients are getting stressed, and then somehow my dad and I even start to feel the stress that tax season brings. We all have different seasons in the year and in life that are going to be the busiest for us and the people around us. Notice what times of the year these are for you. It could happen multiple times, it could catch you by surprise, or it could be the same year after year. Just become aware of the times that are busy for you. Decide how you want to treat these times of year differently, if at all. Maybe these periods require a little extra grace, more alone time, or more of what fuels you. Stress isn’t going anywhere any time soon and since I don’t think all of us are going to up and move to Finland, which is the happiest country on the planet, we should learn to cope with our stress and meet ourselves where we are in our lives at this moment. Stress is normal. We all experience it. So let’s normalize stress and then find ways to deal with and create a little more breathing room that most of us need so urgently.

You may not know this about me…but I tend to be someone who runs at about 100% until I absolutely have to stop. No, it’s definitely not healthy, but it’s been a coping strategy for me for years and sadly in a way it’s worked. I’ve been able to get so much done, show up for family and friends, travel, meditate, journal, and take time for continued education on topics that matter deeply to me. Then I did this thing—I went and got pregnant…and somehow I thought I would still be able to run at 100%. I wanted to show the world that I wouldn’t miss a beat, I could keep up. I could keep going at the same pace. I wanted people to look at me and think wow, pregnant women really can do anything! After months of this and a lot of therapy and time with my thoughts and being sicker more often than I ever have been in my life I realized I wasn’t trying to show the world, I was trying to show myself. I was painstakingly attempting to grit my teeth and hold on through a windstorm of change. Change is really overwhelming for me because there’s something unknown on the other side. What is my life going to look like? Will I still be the same person? Do I want to be the same person? But really what this time showed me is that the way I’ve been operating for the last, oh, I don’t know, let’s say 20 years, wasn’t actually working for me. It’s never really worked for me. Yes, I got a lot done, but at what cost? Feeling like a whirling dervish everywhere I go? Not being able to really slow down, relax, and take time for me? Scheduling every second of my day, even my relaxation? As I laid in bed with the stomach flu last week, I was the sickest I’ve been in probably a decade. It was the first time I can remember not checking my emails, taking a single call, and canceling all of my appointments for the entire week. It’s kind of sad to think that it took until I was 29 to do that, but hey, better late than never… However, the whole time I was laid up I was getting more and more anxious. Surely, the to-do list was piling up, the emails were going unanswered, and the phone calls were sitting there just waiting for a callback. As Sunday night approached before I was going back to work the Sunday Scaries set in like never before. And then this wild thing happened the next day…the world kept turning. What I know about pregnancy now is that there is no pushing through the exhaustion. There is no, just do one more thing on the list. There is sleep, more sleep, and getting things done in the sometimes small gaps where you aren’t sleeping. Since being pregnant I have napped more, been out of the office for a week, been violently ill, and worked less than I ever have in my life, and still (now here’s the real magic) everything has gotten done. So, instead of fighting this new phase of my life, it’s time to embrace it. Now, this doesn’t just apply to being pregnant. Anytime you enter a new phase in your life regardless of what it is it requires some adjusting…I’ve just been really good at avoiding these adjustments in every other phase of my life, but it would’ve been a lot easier had I just given in… So, how can we create a new way of operating in a new phase of our lives? I believe each human has general operating instructions that they love to live by, but we have to take the time to see what’s serving us still and where we might need to update to a 2.0 version of our operating system. 1. Ask yourself ideally how you would like your life to look. This can be in terms of your work, personal life, or any and all facets of your life. Ask yourself what you would like your routine to look like. What would feel good? What would be most productive for you? What has been working in the way you currently operate daily? 2. Then it’s time to evaluate reality. My ideal routine and my reality don’t quite align at this moment and maybe the same is true for you and that is totally okay! Take a look back at what your ideal routine/mode of operating looks like—does it make sense with the way your life looks right now? For example, I’m someone that tends to love to work in large chunks of time and then want to go home and shut off for the night, but in my current reality with the way I can get tired out of the blue, I have to make space and find a way that makes sense for what my body and mind need right now that will keep up my productivity and allow for long pauses in my work day. I know I’m most productive and creative in the morning, so one way I can make my life easier is by blocking out two hours in the morning for those creative activities that need my attention and pushing meetings to the afternoon. I also know that right now, four meetings back to back isn’t feasible, so I have to be more diligent when booking and spreading things out across my calendar in a way that makes sense for this phase. 3. Always, always, always celebrate. Change is a scary thing for so many of us and adjusting our operating system is a huge deal. Always remember to celebrate yourself for being open to change and making the changes in small or big ways. You are always worth celebrating no matter what. The biggest lesson out of all of this is, Domi was right…please no one tell him. He’s been telling me for months to take better care of myself. To slow down. To find a new way of operating that works for pregnant Chelsea and I didn’t listen. I wanted to prove him wrong so badly. Because if I had to change the way I work that would also mean admitting that the way I work isn’t working and I so strongly identified with my means of operating. So, don’t forget to listen to those that care about you and are trying to take care of you. Take their advice under advisement. I learned a beautiful thing in all of this. I can actually work smarter, not harder. It is truly a possibility, so it’s time to try on a new mode of operating for size. One where I am not constantly trying to prove my work because yes, I have become known as the “we define our worth” lady, but please know I talk about this all so much because it’s something I’m still working on, and struggling with. I am right here with you, this whole journey, every step. I love you, I’m thinking about you, and I hope you have an amazing day. XOXO, CAMDW

In case you missed it, Domi and I are having a baby!! We are beyond excited to welcome a new member to the family, but the roller coaster of emotions I’ve felt since looking at those two pink lines on the (third) pregnancy test I took that fateful Sunday in November has been overwhelming. No, it wasn’t a shock that I’m pregnant, but somehow, even though it was planned, it was a surprise. Now that I’m in my second trimester and am not consistently hovering over a bucket or toilet I’ve had some time to mull over everything I’ve been learning while being pregnant and have realized there are so many things that apply to every stage in life that I hope I will take with me beyond pregnancy and I thought they might be helpful for you too. All emotions are valid. Of everything, this one is the biggest lesson I’ve had to learn over and over and over and then over again. I’ve said this so many times pre-pregnancy, but somehow I forgot that it still applied to pregnant Chelsea. I cried several times in my therapist’s office after finding out we were expecting because I felt like I wasn’t excited enough. There had to be something wrong with me. I looked at the positive pregnancy test and there was a glimmer of excitement that quickly faded into barely veiled panic and nausea (and that was before the morning sickness started). Thoughts of the future and what would happen to my career, my relationship with Domi, traveling as a couple, and everything changing terrified me. I thought that feeling that way meant that I was going to be a bad mom. That I had made a mistake. That I didn’t care about this little nugget growing inside of me. That I had to hide this from Domi or he would think I was a terrible person. And this was especially shocking to me because I’ve always wanted to be a mom. I felt very alone, even more so since it was a time when we weren’t telling people that we were going to have a baby. I was isolated, scared, and distant. None of this was what I expected would occur when finding out that I was pregnant. But this started to change after a little while. I began getting excited, like really excited and began feeling like I couldn’t wait for the next chapter. And then I’d hit a day where I felt like I couldn’t get out of bed because I was so overwhelmed. Please know, this is very hard for me to write. I still feel a little embarrassed, but the idea that maybe one other person doesn’t have to feel alone in this is reason enough for me to be brutally honest with you. With any big life change, you cannot anticipate how you are going to feel. You have no idea, but please remember, your reaction regardless of what it is to anything even what you believe should be joyous news is normal, natural, and exactly as it should be. Every emotion is welcome, it’s all a journey and something you can learn from. And emotions can change quickly, especially if you have hormones raging throughout your body, but even if you don’t. Be patient with yourself. Allow yourself time to adjust to change. It’s okay to be afraid, terrified, and not excited and it’s also okay to be thrilled and over the moon and not afraid or simultaneously terrified and excited. I started to feel more excited when I talked to Domi and realized he was nervous too. Then I became much less nervous as we told family and friends and I learned again that I’m not alone. Being able to talk about how I was feeling was so helpful. Life is a rollercoaster. Change is constant and the more we can lean into whatever it is we’re feeling knowing it’ll change the easier we can make it on ourselves. The best advice my therapist gave me about parenting is that Domi and I get to do it our way, we don’t have to do it anyone else’s and that was a huge relief. It was a realization that if we want to travel to Europe with a five-month-old, that’s our prerogative, regardless of the parents that will read this and think, “okay, just wait until you actually have the kid.” But remember that this applies to anything you do. You can do life your way. So take the pressure off and allow yourself to be exactly as you are right now without judgment. There is nothing that will magically take your body image issues away. I also thought that the day I found out I was pregnant I would magically think that my body was perfect, beautiful, and amazing. Much to my chagrin that did not happen. I was sometimes even more judgmental about my body. Why didn’t I work out more before I got pregnant? What was I doing eating so much when we were on vacation? What I learned from this is that no matter where we go, we go with ourselves. So, even if we change jobs, locations, or states of being we are still there and so are the things that caused us stress before. What this means is that there is also an opportunity to change the way we feel about ourselves, our beauty, and our worth every single day. Don’t wait until you’re pregnant, change jobs, or relocate to decide you and your body are incredible, beautiful, and fascinating. You can decide that now. Sadly, there’s no easy button past these things, but that also means there are opportunities everywhere to grow. Listen to what your body is telling you. I have always been an expert at ignoring my body’s cues. Whether it’s so I could just get one more thing checked off of my to-do list or stopping myself from eating something I really wanted, I nailed it. Sadly. But there’s something that happens when you’re pregnant, you don’t get to ignore those cues anymore because it’s not good for you and another little human. But why wait until you’re pregnant or someone else is relying on you to listen to your body? Our bodies are so powerful and will tell us so many things about what we need whether it be food, sleep, or a good cry. You don’t need an excuse to listen to your body. It is not a luxury. It is how we should function daily. We’ve been taught to ignore what we’re being told by our greatest instrument by so many scripts that we receive from family, friends, and society, but let that stop today and allow yourself to listen to what you need. This will take practice and patience, but I believe in you. The journey isn’t all magical and glow-y all the time. You may love your job. You may love your spouse. You may love being pregnant, but nothing is glowy and perfect feeling all the time. Allow space for every part of it. Whatever “it” is. Ask for help. You are always allowed to ask for help. You don’t need permission or a reason to be overwhelmed you can just want help. It doesn’t make you weak, less hard-working, or not good enough, it makes you human. The more help we can ask for the more we can free up the space to do the things we love, take care of ourselves and our loved ones, and find the enjoyment that we all deserve in life. Find a community of experts that you trust and choose the people you involve in how you feel and what you need carefully. As you can tell I’m pretty much an open book. I love answering questions and nothing is really too personal, but I’ve also found during this journey that sometimes we need to go to specific people with specific needs and not everyone needs to know everything about your experience. This is mainly because everyone has an opinion and a reason why they think they’re right. For example, someone who has never carried a child may think they know the best things you should be doing or someone that already has children may think you’re overreacting to these things that are new for you, but this is true about anything in life. Opinions are just that, opinions and if they don’t jive with you-chuck them out. You don’t have to be an open book and sometimes figuring out who to go to at different times in your life can make those moments even more special for those you decide to share with. I think it goes without saying that everyone is going through something in life. Whatever it is, whether it be a big life change or just life being life give yourself grace and ease. You are exactly where you need to be. You will figure this out. There is so much wonder and amazingness ahead. I love you, you’ve got this. XOXOX, CAMDW

I was on my way to ballet the other day when I just started to cry. I felt so sick of being taken advantage of. I felt like I was always being used and forced into things I didn’t want to do. Domi is always asking me, “Baby, did you really want to do this, or did you just feel pressure to say yes?” And in thinking about that, I was sad that my answer is often, I just felt pressure to say yes. I had this sad little pity party for one for about twenty minutes, and then, seemingly out of the blue this thought popped into my head. I’m not sure if it was the Universe or my higher self or what was speaking to me, but it said, “Chelsea you are being complicit in those taking advantage of you when you say yes when you really mean no.” My next thought was then, F*&% you, higher self, I am doing fine here blaming everyone else. But then I allowed myself to really sit with the uncomfortable thought that people taking advantage of my generosity or kindness has a lot more to do with the boundaries I set and me than it has to do with anyone else. So, I’ve decided that I need to get better at saying no to things and setting some boundaries, but we all know, especially if you’re a people pleaser, that saying no can sometimes feel crushingly challenging. And because it was feeling so hard for me I thought maybe if we had a method or a way to think about saying yes or no it might feel a little bit easier…baby steps, right? Given all of those thoughts swirling around in my head–this is what I came up with: First, buy yourself some time. If you’re used to saying yes automatically without thinking about it, remember that you can say you need some time to think about it. Yes, that’s easier said than done, so if that’s feeling like a challenge here’s some exact phrasing you can use: “You know, I always say yes before I check my calendar, which has made things messy before. Let me check my planner before I say yes to this!” “Before I say yes to this, I want to check with my partner and their schedule.” “Before I give you a definitive yes, I want to check with my roommate.” “Let me double check and make sure I have the bandwidth for this right now, I’ll get back to you!” It doesn’t make you a stick in the mud to take care of yourself or to just say you need time to think about it–there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. I even bet that those who don’t feel the pressure to please others may think it is silly that we contemplate so hard about saying we need to think about it or check with someone, but as someone that’s struggled with pleasing people forever and a day, I get it. This feels difficult, so if you need permission from someone to take the bull by the horns and say you need a minute to think about it–here is your permission slip. Ask yourself why you are saying yes or no. Once you’ve set the boundary that you need time to think about it really sit with the question of, “Why am I saying yes or no to this?” So often we say yes as a reflex because we want to be liked, seem agreeable, or because we’re afraid of the repercussions of saying no. It’s important to understand why we are responding the way we are. And to figure that out we can talk it out with a friend, journal, sit with it, anything really that works for you! If these thoughts come to mind as the reason you’re saying “yes” to something, maybe take a second look as to whether you really want to say yes: “I just don’t want to disappoint them.” “I really want them to like me.” “I’m afraid they’ll be mad at me.” “I feel like I should.” “Saying no would be rude because they’ve done so much for me.” All of your feelings are valid and if you’ve sat with these reasons and still want to say yes, then go for it, but it’s really good to know why we’re saying yes to something so that we don’t end up resenting the people involved later when we realized we wanted to say no. On the flip side, if you’re saying no because: You feel afraid. You feel like someone will judge you. You aren’t sure what other people will think. It’s really important to think about that too. Some fear is really good, it keeps us from hurting ourselves or someone else, but sometimes fear also makes our lives smaller and it’s important to tap into why we’re doing things the way we are so that we can get clear act not just out of fear but out of what we truly desire to do. So, you’ve decided to say “no.” So, you’ve sat and thought about all of these different aspects of saying yes or no, and you want to say yes, that’s awesome! Go for it! Or maybe you’ve decided to say no. Deciding to say no is a huge step if that’s what you want, but still, the actual saying of the word spelled N-O can feel really earth-shattering, so again, here are some phrases to use until you find the way that works best for you. These are my starter pack of no’s so to speak: “I’m not available then.” (This is true even if the plans are an afternoon of self-care and watching tv by yourself.) “That’s just not something I’m really into, but thank you for the invitation!” “I can’t make it this time, but please let me know if you’re doing this again soon!” “That time doesn’t work for me, but I’m really honored/grateful to have been thought of/included/invited.” Deciding to say yes or no when you’re someone who often wants to say yes to everything or feels pressure to say yes to everything can feel really overwhelming. But remember the people that will be the most upset about you saying no will be the ones that often benefited from you not having any boundaries with them. Also, remember that saying no once doesn’t mean you need to say no every time. There are many times when I say yes and I’m so glad I did, I just want us to get out of the habit of saying yes when we really want to say no because we’re worried about what someone will think, how we’ll be perceived, or if we’ll hurt someone’s feelings. You are worth taking care of and your feelings, whatever they may be, are valid. I love you, I’m thinking about you and I know you’ve got this! XOXO, CAMDW

Why Self Worth And Math Don’t Mix – 3 Ways To Remind Yourself “I Am Worthy”

 Hello, my loves! I hope you’re having a wonderful day wherever you are in the world. And whether it’s an amazing day or a day that leaves you wanting for something more, I am wrapping my arms around you. Life is not a straight shot. You don’t shoot your bow and arrow and watch your life go exactly in one direction. There are bumps and curves and learning, and growth, and change and unexpected events and beauty and love and loss and so much more…should I say and again? (It’s really a miracle I got a publishing contract with my grammar.) But here is one thing I believe deeply—there is no one way to do life. There are no specific stages at specific ages or boxes we can check off because life is ongoing and I wish with all my heart and soul that we could remove the word “should” from our vocabulary. The idea that we’re “supposed” to be in a certain place in our life, career, or relationships can be so detrimental to how we go about our lives every day. It can lead to us making choices for our lives that are not rooted in who we are and what we want, but what we believe others and society expect of us or want for us. So, how can we remind ourselves that there are no “shoulds” in life? Here are some things I love to do I put post-its everywhere that remind me of that. Little notes like, “you are exactly where you are meant to be” or “this is your story, only you get to write it.” If these sticky-note mantras are a little too cheesy for your style, you can take time every day and either just sit quietly or journal about all of the things you have been able to accomplish. Taking time to appreciate and be grateful for what you do have and what you have accomplished can fuel feelings of worthiness, which can aid in feeling confident and comfortable with where you are in life. Just remember we are all going through something and so is everyone else we pass on the street and usually that journey is something we know nothing about, regardless of what people tell us or what we see on social media. We only get half the picture of anyone’s life, so as you start to compare yourself to others, take time to remind yourself that what you see is never the whole picture. You are a whole and worthy being exactly as you are and where you are in life.

After an incredible month-long vacation I came home ready to hit the ground running. I woke up ready for my first day back at work, sipped my coffee, and planned out my day. I was really excited. After some time off, I was ready to be back and working again. However, about a half-hour into my day, I got a splitting headache. The kind where your eye feels like it’s pulsating and everything feels like climbing Mount Everest. My day started to crumble. I couldn’t focus, let alone be creative when I felt like my bed was calling to me. But I kept resisting the urge to give in to what my body was telling me I needed. I thought it was ridiculous to need to rest after a vacation, but my body felt otherwise. But the harder I pushed the more my head raged. I started thinking about how behind I was going to be after only 24 hours and all of the projects that had piled up over my time away. It felt like the muscle pulsating behind my right eye might just burst through my head at any moment. I then remembered something my dietician had said when I was working with her in times where I would beat myself up because I felt I hadn’t eaten the way I wanted to, she would say, “you always get to start over tomorrow.” This felt might have been a totally different situation, but also a perfect time to apply that bit of advice. I always get to start over tomorrow. Whether I had built up the first day back at work or not. Whether I have bit plans and tons to do, I always get to start over tomorrow. So, I took a nap and then I curled up with a cup of tea, read a book, and then I did the most pressing things on my to-do list that I felt I could manage and enjoy doing. Simply put, I gave myself some grace. I want to extend that same grace to you, my friends. Sometimes pushing through the headache, or the stress isn’t going to solve the issue, but worsen it. In case you ever forget, you have an opportunity every day to start fresh. So, do me a favor and 1) Focus today on all the things you DID get done, not just the ones you didn’t. Even the little things (okay, especially the little things) count. 2) Remember that there is no shame in stepping away and taking care of your body and mental health regardless of what society says. 3) Start to tell yourself that giving yourself grace is not being lazy, but allowing you to be the best version of yourself. Tomorrow is a new day and a fresh start.

    It’s probably not surprising to anyone that I love to make plans. There’s an entire chapter of my book Inexplicably Me entitled, “Some People Have Security Blankets. I Have Lists.” I’ve been making lists and plans since I was seven years old. It’s something that makes me feel safe and, at the same […]