Alright, when is someone going to livestream to the world that we’ve all been on candid camera the whole time? At this point, I really need Ashton Kutcher to pop out of a closet and tell me we’ve all been punk’d. I mean, there are the obvious things that I don’t even need to mention, but on a more personal, localized level, we were finally given the go-ahead last week to open back up my girls’ ballet studio and gear up for having all grades above 2nd return to in-person school! Wooohoooo!!!
Not so fast!
Enter- windstorm accompanied by power outages.
While we only lost power for about an hour, much of our city was down for days. Thus cancelling school (even the virtual kind) and re-closing our ballet studio this past week.
There came a point at the end of Wednesday (which just felt like an outrageously long day of trying to back-to-school clothes shop for a picky 8 year old with sensory issues, and spend Christmas gift cards at Target that were burning holes in people’s pockets) when I turned to my children with what I can only imagine was the look of a hangry momzombie, and let them know in no uncertain terms that I was all out of nice.
It’s a though we’ve been playing a bad game of dodgeball for the past year. Might I mention that I hate dodgeball and am also very bad at it? I have very distinct memories from my health class during my freshman year of high school when we were put up against the senior boy’s PE class to play the wretched game in the wrestling room, of all stinky places.
Well, as if that wasn’t bad enough, my senior boyfriend was in that class (yeah, you read that right- bad ideas all the way around) and he told all of the guys in his class to not hit me. Well that was all well and fine until I was the only. one. left!!!! Suffice it to say, at that point those senior boys (most of them football players) enjoyed ignoring their buddy, gathering at the line, and pelting me at full force with those blasted dodgeballs while I shrieked and badly deflect hit after hit.
My teacher thought it would help me get over my fear of objects flying at my head.
I assure you, it did not.
The lesson then? Get hit early on so you don’t end up pitted against the entire senior boys class at the same time, ALONE!!
The lesson now? Keep getting back up. Keep showing back up. Learn to Live Well Anyway (you had to have seen that coming)!
What You Need to Keep Showing Up
And that’s where this past week’s podcast episode comes in. I had on Hannah Brencher (one of my favorite nonfiction authors) to talk about her new book, “Fighting Forward.” I can’t say enough about how excellent this book is. It will encourage and heart-check you in all the best ways. Ways that we really need right now in this relentless dodgeball game of life! I would love for you to listen and tell me what resonated with you about the episode.
And if you haven’t checked them out yet, my latest installment of Five Friday Favorites came out on (you guessed it) Friday! In this rendition we’ve got everything from the biggest motivator to my reading life so far this year, to skincare, to music, to relaxation. It’s a good time! Go check them out!
Where Else Can You Find Me?
We have been having some really fun LIVEs in Patreon lately! So much fun discussion about both the serious and the ridiculous. We are also releasing a series of mini-casts on some wellness challenges that Katie and I are undertaking. We would love to have you join us over there!
I have also been stepping back into more consistency with my IG Stories. I had gotten out of the habit but I am bringing them back again, especially while I’m spying on my hot neighbor! Haha! It’s a whole thing- you should definitely check them out!
In summation, life is a lot like getting hit repeatedly in the face with a wrench right now for pretty much everyone, but we’re better together and we can keep showing up and fighting forward, one small step at a time. We’ve got this!
Fighting Forward is going on my favorite books list. I've already told a bunch of people they had to read it. Love love love it. So much depth and truth. Thanks for the amazing reccomendation. Loving the lives and patreon. Thanks for heading up such an amazing community.
Fighting Forward is going on my favorite books list. I've already told a bunch of people they had to read it. Love love love it. So much depth and truth. Thanks for the amazing reccomendation. Loving the lives and patreon. Thanks for heading up such an amazing community.
What a crazy story! :o That's awful, but I guess you've learned some good lessons. I hate dodge ball too. Loving your substacks and your podcasts.