My grandfather and I always had the best conversations. We would talk about food, nature, education…and everything under the sun. He would always listen to everything I was telling him, even the things that I was not really saying out of my mouth. Therefore he would catch on to the subtleties of when we were discussing my goals in life and all the things I believe I NEED to accomplish. He would always let me finish and would simply say, “Breathe! We weren’t designed to resolve every issue in the world. Do what you can. Give it your best. But don’t forget to take care of Jasmine.”
I’ll be the first person to admit that I can have trouble with relaxing. When I take on a task, whether it’s personally or professionally, I make it my business to accomplish it to the best of my ability. With that being said, sometimes I can’t allow myself to celebrate my accomplishments, because I’m so focused on accomplishing the next task at hand. On one hand, this is an wonderful thing simply because when you have missions to fulfill, it shows progression in life. On the other hand, you can become consumed by the things that were meant to strengthen you, not swallow you.
It’s so easy to get wrapped up in work or school where we have a ton of projects that begin to be take over your life. Your calendar becomes jam packed, and you begin to cancel fun events that you planned months in advance. To accommodate all of these goals and tasks that you have been assigned to, you start skipping lunch, the gym becomes a distant memory and “social activities?” …WHAT ARE THOSE???? The old saying “hard work pays off” is often taken way too far. I do believe that when we focus a lot of our energy into one thing, we can yield great results. But when we go to the extreme with this saying, especially without taking the time to refuel, we begin to break down.
In my lifetime, I have noticed that when we truly desire to live our life with every capacity being fulfilled, we find it hard to have the time and strength to accomplish every single thing. Keeping this in mind, an overwhelming feeling may begin to take over you. This feeling can begin to emotionally paralyze you, hindering your progress and ability to be in the present. Breathe Warrior, you don’t have to save the world. But at this point, the person you need to save is yourself.
Self care is essential in “leveling up” in life. How can your car get you to a destination without being properly maintained? How can grits keep a smooth consistency without being stirred? We have to be intentional in the steps we take towards improving and maintaining our mental, physical, and emotional health. My friend… it’s okay to say no, it’s important to create boundaries, and it’s crucial that you take the time to take inventory of your life.
So as a remedy to this, make sure you celebrate yourself every single day! Talk to yourself in the mirror, and compliment yourself on all of your amazing qualities. Also take that time to own your insecurities. Just be sure to live an intentional life, and take some time to breathe. You deserve it!!