The second week of January has arrived and with it a strange sense of calm for me. Spiritually, I am in tune with myself…emotionally, I am filled with so many different things…physically, I am looking for a way to rest. So a splash of all these mixed together is me telling myself, “Houa, slow down.” And this past weekend was me doing just that…slowing down. I slowed down…I just simply sat and relaxed…something I haven’t done in a while. I hear my husband tell me all the time…, “Will you just relax and sit?” But I find things to do…clean the bathroom, rearrange the living room, fix this, fix that…and then I’m exhausted. And my husband will shake his head asking me, “Will you just relax?”
So this past weekend, I really did just relax. I just kicked back and didn’t touch much and simply let myself slow down. I am getting better at that. I’m the type that needs to be up and going at all hours of the day and yes, I do crash. So lately, with the loss of my mother-in-law too, I have found I need to take it easy. I turned down a few opportunities that would just add tension to my already busy schedule. I didn’t feel guilty for saying no. I knew my body would thank me. I used to feel guilty for saying no. I felt I had to say it because the person asking wanted me to say Yes. So I said it even when I really wanted to say No. But through the years, I have become stronger and have let go the need to please people. Pleasing people is the worse of all things you can do. It controls you, it owns you and it tortures you to the bone. You get nothing good out of it, honestly.
I’m taking it easy…the start of the year has been rough for some and while I am sending out prayers and healing light to others, I have reserved some for myself. And you should too. I hope that as we make it past this first month of 2024, the days will become brighter for those who are currently experiencing dark moments and that we can learn to be kind and respectful to each other.