A few weeks ago, I talked about rest and how important it is, not just for you physically but for you emotionally and mentally, as well. While I’ve been pretty good about taking the rest for me physically, I haven’t been quite so good at doing it emotionally or mentally.

Let’s be real… My self-care has been pretty non-existent.

For the last several months, I have put everyone and everything in front of my own well-being. I’ve made sure all is well across the board, but have been running myself into the ground. And it all came to a head over the last couple weeks.

My sleep has been awful, my energy has been terrible, my moods have been all over the place, and everything and everyone has been getting the worst of me. I’m not sure anything or anyone has gotten 100% of me for awhile now.

For this, I apologize to all of you.

Now that it has all come to a head and I’ve recognized it, I am working on making the necessary changes to make sure I’m okay first. Because I can’t take care of anyone or anything else if I’m not.

And that’s where the importance of self-care comes in.

You can’t pour from an empty cup. I can’t pour from an empty cup. Nobody can pour from an empty cup.

Think about it. When you deplete yourself over and over again and don’t refill your cup, not only do you have nothing left to give, but you have nothing left for yourself. There HAS to be some deposits into your own well-being because the continuous withdrawals just put you in a negative balance. And I promise, this isn’t the place you want to be.

I don’t know what the right answer is, but the first step is to ask for help if you need it. The biggest sign for me was being super overwhelmed with everything. I told Nick I felt this way, but I’m not sure I actually asked for help. And I know I didn’t ask anyone else. I just took it all on myself – that could be my control freak coming out, but I just kept loading it all on myself.

The next step is to actually let people help you! Let go of the need to control everything and do it “your way,” and actually let people in. I definitely struggle with this, but things will get done, even if they’re not done in the exact way I would do them. And that’s okay! I promise!

And of course, find the things that refill your cup. Take the time to figure out what refills your cup. Because I can tell you I don’t really know what mine are. I think I’ve let business owner, wife, mother, caregiver… overtake ME. And I don’t really know who I am anymore, as Whitney.

So here’s to figuring that out. Taking the time for me. And refilling my cup. And I hope you figure it out too.

Self-care, y’all. It’s vitally important. Make it a priority!

Have a fantastic week!
Whitney