Navigating Abundance

I've always been someone who is busy. For years, if you were to ask me how I was, I'd probably respond, "I'm good! Busy, but good." It's become such a habit that I scarcely thought about it until recently, when I became so busy that I watched my spare time and self care routines quietly slip away. I've shared a bit about that process of recognizing my own overwhelm and learning to lean into space over the past few months.

As we welcome November and prepare for the winter season here in New England, I'm happy to report that I'm still practicing this art of leaning into space. It's been a beautiful journey so far, and it seems that every month brings with it a new lesson. Lately I've noticed that as I continue to practice and prioritize my free time and self care, I'm seeing opportunities all around me; I'm filled with ideas of classes and programs to teach, I've fielded new work proposals and teaching opportunities, and I'm quickly accumulating a list of hobbies that I want to explore and books I want to read.

I feel a tangible rush of creativity and curiosity, and with it comes an urgency: there's just so much to do!

I'm learning, slowly, that in times of abundance (abundant opportunity, creativity, energy, relationships, etc.) self care is incredibly important.

I don't think this is an intuitive lesson, because I don't think most of us associate self care with "things are good". In my experience, self care and boundary setting have come during times of struggle. When I'm moving through grief, or dealing with a challenging situation at work or in relationships, when I'm feeling zapped of creativity and energy – these are the times when I have relied on self care.

But when things are, by all accounts, fantastic? Why prioritize self care if life is already so great?

Self care is how we maintain and nourish that wonderful, fantastic life.

It's easy to overcommit when everything around you is positive. In my own life, I'm excited by each one of the opportunities and ideas around me, and I have the urge to throw my arms open and say "YES" to all of it.

But if I've learned anything this year, it's that saying yes to everything quickly leads to overwhelm and burnout.

So in this time of abundance, I'm reminding myself as much as possible that self care, boundaries, and space, are still essential to wellbeing. I'm learning to make free time non-negotiable. For example, I am going on walks as much as I can (my goal has been daily) simply for the joy of being outside.

I'm also learning to set boundaries through selectively saying yes to what excites me the most. And of course, to say no to what doesn't help me thrive in this moment, or will lead to the fatigue and burnout that I know oh so well.

Finally, I'm reminding myself to be compassionate with myself through this process. Because new habits are hard to build, and I'm unlearning a lifetime of diving headfirst into anything that excites me (which, if you know me, is just about everything).

Ultimately this process of prioritizing self care is just another lesson in trust. Trust that I will continue to learn how to care for myself, trust that opportunities will continue to present themselves, and trust that there is no one way to move through this life. Trust that there is enough – opportunity, love, creativity, ideas – for everyone, always.

When we see that, we get to say yes to what speaks to us the most. And I imagine that selectively choosing what we engage with will bring even more abundance.