Give Me A Second.
In the creases of chaos & confusion, you can find solitude in the silence & calm. As a human being trying to accomplish goals & create a future, you sometimes get lost in the waves--doing your best to stay afloat, but constantly getting bogged down by your never ending list. It's daunting...exhausting, even. What if instead of loading your plate, you take a look at it first & decide if you can handle more? Instead of working yourself into an anxiety attack, you take a step back & breathe?
Life is a balancing act--fill your cup to the brim & it begins to overflow. But, fill it just enough, you still have space to explore & most importantly, breathe. Life does not wait for anyone. The best thing you can do for yourself is find a balance that works, take a second, & catch your breath.
You know, it's funny. One of the biggest blessings we have is constantly taken for granted. It's usually subconscious, & we don't realize it until we actually do it.
Breathe.
The blessing of being able to breathe on our own is definitely a blessing that I don't think about regularly. When I do remember to breathe, it's refreshing & it feels as if I'm filling my body with nothing but righteousness. (That seriously sounds so dramatic...wow.) But, seriously! Have you ever reminded yourself to breathe & felt the abundance of oxygen fill within your ribs? I know you know the feeling I'm talking about, but if you can describe it with a better word than "righteousness," please, let me know.
It seems that the older we get, the more we try to pack into our days. If you're a planner like me, I'm sure your day is filled with things from the moment you get up until the second you decide to go to bed. If you're not a planner, I'm sure you still find things to get into that leave you feeling exhausted by the time the sun sets. Take what you do in a single day, times it by 5/6 because at least several of your days are nearly carbon-copies, & I'm sure you're already tired for next week. When you have a schedule & a list of things to do or get done, it leaves you exhausted. Mentally, physically, maybe even emotionally exhausted.
& that's not fair to you.
Trust me. I def get it.
I'm someone who likes to fill my days with as much as I can because I always feel like I won't have enough time to do what I want. Life is short, tomorrow is never guaranteed. So, if it's short & I know this, why wouldn't I fill every second of the day? The answer is you need time to breathe, catch your breath, & regroup. That is why.
I talk about mental health & its importance often. Though our bodies & capabilities as human beings are amazing, we are not super human. We are not exempt from needing sleep, nutrients, & time to recover from things that leave us tiresome. In order to keep our mental stability intact, we have to care for it. We have to allow time to let it breathe & digest our day to day activity.
Life is sometimes overwhelming, & it's definitely demanding. It can feel like we're hamsters on a wheel that never slows, & it can feel like we are in a race that has no finish line. The most important & best things you can do for yourself is
1. Breathe.
2. Remind yourself that you are doing great! Don't give up.
3. Take a second to decide if you can handle the "extra" being asked of you...it's okay to say 'no' if it means keeping you in one piece.
4. Sleep when your mind & body ask you to. You are useless if you cannot function fully.
5. Be patient with yourself. You will get there when the time is right.
breathe easy, live long.
May your day be ever filled with love, light, and of course, an abundance of chicken tenders💜🌻✨
Cheyenne Pajardo