Ya’ll we are exhausted. I am exhausted. Tonight, at dinner, my husband and I sat and stared at each other while the noise of our kids reverberated around us. He is stressed and tired. I am stressed and tired. Finally, I looked at him and said, “are we in the eye of the storm?” We had no energy, drive, or capacity to lovingly and curiously engage with our kids… or each other.
How often do we, as parents and caregivers, drive ourselves to the brink of exhaustion and emotional dysregulation with no regard for our own wellbeing? What is left for us? Bodies that ache, jaws that grind, and heads that hurt. What about our creativity, passion, and overall zest for life?
Don’t we deserve more? An hour-long massage, a 30-minute bath, a great cup of tea, a mindful minute. These are all great and wonderful. But what are you doing to disrupt the habits, patterns, and beliefs that bring you to the point of tears?
As we journey together, I hope to give you tools so you can step out of the numb eye of the storm, into the wind and enjoy the ride of life. Each week I will post letters of encouragement, reminders to love yourself, and tools for self-compassion, so you can better enjoy your kids, loved ones, and yourself.
Let’s start Growing Sage together.
In Kindness,
Tasha Novotny, LICSW
