Shine on You Crazy Diamond

I woke up this morning and stepped out on my back patio to feel the rush of the cool crisp air meet my face. Texas doesn’t get a true fall until about November but we do love our gentle mornings. I quickly made a cup of coffee and walked over to start journaling as I usually do. I felt so grateful in that moment. To be here, in my new house (for years I’ve lived in an apartment) sipping on coffee in sweat pants. It was surreal. Over this past year I’ve experienced a tremendous amount of growth. If I were to sit here and tell you all of the ways you would be astonished, but I am living proof that dreams can come true.

Anxiety and Mental Health, Style, Petite Style, FashionCrystal LowySeptember 10, 2021Fall Style, jeans, pink, Sunglasses, Anxiety, Style 31, Tunic, Life Lessons, Life Purpose, Boots, Tory BurchComment

Finding Joy as You Complete Everyday Tasks

Over this past year, I’ve written a lot about finding joy. The truth is a few years ago I went through a huge struggle with joy. My life felt flat during that time. Very little brought me joy. I’d later come to find that I was going through depression and I had to realign things in my life. I need more sleep and consistent sleep. I need to shed things that were weighing me down. I needed daily exercise and better support. It took time to transform all of these things, but when I formed a healthy foundation I was able to laugh and feel joy again. Looking back it wasn’t overnight that my life became joyless and it wasn’t an instant change to move it back on track. Both situations were a series of daily choices made over time. Now I protect my mindset above all else. If I am feeling like I’m in a funk, I make small choices that day to find joy in little things. Here are a few practical ways I choose to find joy when I complete everyday tasks.

Getting Inspired Again

At the beginning of summer, I felt so worn out. I had just come off of a four-month push in my business and at work, my daughter broke her elbow and had surgery, and stress was at an all-time high. I felt exhausted and uninspired. Have you recently been there, too? I’ve learned as the years pass that life comes in waves. Sometimes you are riding a high and then the valleys in life happen. As I approach being 36 in two weeks I’ve been reflecting more and more about these seasons in my life. How do I manage the lows better? How do I encourage the high points to stay high longer? How do I stay inspired when I don’t feel like I have much energy? As I’ve reflected I found a few things that help me get through the waves of life.

Feeling Overwhelmed These Days?

A few weeks ago I stumbled across a documentary on Amazon Prime about being a highly sensitive person. I had no idea this was even a thing in life but immediately connected with the content. I am extremely sensitive to sunlight, overhead lights, and brightness. If a siren is sounding in the background, I struggle to concentrate on anything except the repetitive noise. After a social event, I feel completely wiped out and want to spend the next day doing my own thing in my environment. Does any of this sound familiar to you? This post may help! 15-20% of people and animals are classified as highly sensitive. They pick up on small details most would overlook and they have a heightened sense of taste, touch, hearing, sight, and smell. When they are bombarded by too many new experiences or strong things they end up feeling frazzled. Welp, that’s me!

The Long Weekend

Memorial Day Weekend is forever the milestone to kick off summer. Yes, it’s day of honor and rememberance for those who have fought and fallen for our country. It’s also the end of the school year and the start to summer vacation. Iced coffee, sorbet, and gelato, days on the lake, and a long list of summer bucket activities are now the agenda. So much ahead this summer compared to last year’s lockdown. I’m excited about the upcoming months and changes life will offer as I shed things that no longer serve my life and make room for more creativity, joy, and freedom.