Sickness & Strengths

The kids were home sick this weekend (ie mood for all winter). The older one passed a cold on to her younger brother, which also turned into a viral stomach bug/fever for him. All the usual stuff, but we felt for them and we cuddled them hard.

I started to feel worn down as we tag teamed. Even though I stuck to some of my self-care routines, I felt like I was giving a lot and I immediately wanted something for MYSELF. *Cue online shopping/scrolling.* 🤪

I started jumping from website to website, chasing sales and dopamine hits. Anyone relate? It’s almost comical...but not.

Luckily, I didn’t end up buying anything, which is reassuring bc I truly have more than enough. I still like browsing, style, and treating myself, but buying something wouldn’t have helped me this weekend. Swipe for photos of what caught my eye.

For me, the pattern that emerges is that I will want to buy something when I want to feel better. I lust over something new to feel excited, and to feel like I’m prioritizing myself (consumerism, I know). BUT often, what I actually need is a break. Rest. Fresh air. Sun. Silence. Writing. Friends. Fun. Movement. Stillness.

So, I decided to take a walk, a hot shower, and most importantly, a nap. I climbed into bed in pjs with two blankets and three pillows. And I woke refreshed and restored. Equally significant, I was relieved that I had aligned my actions to my strengths & values.

Some of my top 10 strengths that I leaned on:

Strategic: the ability to spot relevant patterns and identify alternate paths
**recognizing my triggers and self-numbing patterns and charting a different way forward

Positivity: contagious enthusiasm and the ability to get others excited
**reframing the joy and excitement of choosing rest over new stuff

Ideation: fascinated by ideas and the ability to find connections
**ideating to identify what I actually needed vs superficially wanted

Learner: desire to learn and continuously improve
**an inner desire to constantly grow and do better