We all need a break from things in life. Our jobs, our family, aging parents, our never ending to-do lists, and yes, even our dogs. Especially if our dogs have chronic conditions. Daisy was diagnosed with Horners Syndrome at the end of January on top of her other medical issues. I felt overwhelmed and really needed the healing power of taking a break from everything.
I had told myself when I started this blog several months ago that I would write a post once a week. That goal went to hell in a handbasket. I honestly didn’t realize how much effort it takes to create content that is SEO-friendly, shoot photos, and optimize images for the web all while working a full-time job and caring for a dog with chronic issues. It’s a lot more work than I anticipated it would be. It was time to recharge and rethink how and if I wanted to continue this blogging journey that I had just started.
Recharge
Recharging can mean different things to everyone. For me, it means “me time” and doing the things that I love most like DIY around the house. That is what lights me up. I’ve been repainting areas of my home because painting is therapeutic to me. Doing things that light me up gives me renewed energy. Some other things I have found that help me to recharge include:
- Reading self-improvement books – I’m currently reading 101 Essays that will Change the way You Think by Brianna Wiest. A few other books I’ve recently read are Living Fully: Dare to Step into Your Most Vibrant Life by Mallory Ervin and Life Makeover: Embrace the Bold, Beautiful, and Blessed You by Dominique Sachse.
- Yoga – The Boho Beautiful Yoga channel on YouTube is my absolute favorite free yoga channel. You not only will find all levels of yoga here but also Pilates, vegan food, guided meditations and fitness.
- Aura app – I recently subscribed to this app which has a variety of timed meditations, coaching, life stories and sleep music. The free trial is seven days and then you can sign up by month, three months, six months or a year. Overall I am really enjoying it and see myself continuing the subscription.
Refocus
Taking a break and stepping away from everything helps me refocus and redefine what is important. This in turn motivates me to work on those areas that are important and set new goals. Recharging provides clarity and a sense of direction when I struggle with next steps. I also have a big fear of failure and taking a break and dealing with those fears helps me move forward. Starting a blog is scary because you are putting yourself out there. There will always be negative comments but I’ve come to realize that the ones who criticize are always doing less than you.
Mental Health Benefits
Hitting pause for a while gives your mind and body the reset it needs to handle the stresses of daily life. Living on auto-pilot and trying to serve everyone will invariably lead to illness, stress, depression and burnout. There is no shame in taking “me time”. We all need it. It gives us perspective and enhances our overall well-being. That is the healing power of taking a break.
I have decided I do want to continue on this blogging journey. If sharing my experiences and mistakes helps even one person, than it is a success to me. After all, that is why I started this blogging journey in the first place.
*This post is not sponsored in any way nor do I receive any compensation. The views and opinions expressed are purely my own.
