It's too much, time to cocoon!

It's a lot, it's busy, it's too much. Renovating is one thing, but running a (rapidly) growing business on top of that is a lot all together. Especially considering that I'm not fully available, I'm mentally vulnerable, and I have to be very mindful of my health.

Funny, with all the hustle and bustle, I'd already forgotten about this last point, even though I definitely feel the pressure. But now that I'm happily typing away at my blog post, it's really hitting home. Time to make sure I stay well, and maybe you'll recognize things or get some tips from it!

Slowwww please!

I'm someone who can work incredibly hard. I push myself hard. Often beyond my limits. The result: I need a lot of time to recover and, of course, I quickly run out of energy. Is that helpful? No. So, for me, it's crucial not to feel rushed or too busy. That way, there's enough time for recovery. Even better would be to live completely slowly, but my personality is inherently a turbo mode that kicks in quickly, and combined with busyness, I can't (yet!) manage to do everything slowly. And honestly? I also sometimes love to just "get on with it" and then let go, relax, and recover. A balance between the two would be wonderful!

In any case, it's important to incorporate enough "slow" into my life in the coming period. Taking time to read a book, pick dahlias in the garden, play with the dogs, or cook. By doing these little things at my leisure, I can take myself out of turbo mode and unwind.

Cocooning

Life just keeps on going, of course. Right now, it feels a bit like a moving train I'm on that just won't slow down. You know that feeling? When I feel like this, it's time to get off the train for a bit (I quickly convince myself it's impossible, but it almost always is!). A day of nothing, no work, home alone, and no obligatory laundry list of chores. Just snuggling up in my own little cocoon. Tea, enjoying a book while it rains outside. Or a long (strolling) walk with the dogs through the woods. Pottering around in the garden, baking a cake, or painting (whatever I feel like). Just writing this, I can already feel it—so good!

Autumn energy

With cocooning comes autumn. Wonderful! And so helpful. The busyness and high energy of summer are waning, the "yang energy" (light, active, outward-looking), to give it a name. Slowly, autumn energy is increasing. "Yin energy," the dark, passive, inward-looking, a time for reflection. Somehow, I've always remembered this because it resonates so well with me and works so well. In the summer, my turbo mode activates very easily, but by the end of summer, I'm often drained. Then I crave dark, peaceful evenings, earlier bedtimes and later rises, shorter days, and less light. Mood lights, coziness, a book, a puzzle, and of course, lots of coziness! The time of year to recharge has arrived!

Self-care

You guessed it, it's all about self-care, of course. And how you express it doesn't matter. Do what you need and what helps you feel good about yourself—that's the message. For the time being, I'm going to focus on "slow, cocooning, and autumn energy." What about you?

Lovely self-care, slow, cocooning and autumn energy items in the shop: