Another way to practice self-care is to find time to pursue your passions. Our lives can get very hectic, with people pulling at us from every direction. Many times our own passions and interest are the first things that get cut from our overbooked schedules. This can leave you feeling resentful towards the very people you love and care for. Over time this can cause you to lose your joy and zest for life. It seems like a quick and easy fix at the time, but it actually is an expensive one in the long run. Just like with routines, continuing to pursue your interest during the busy seasons of your life doesn’t have to take a lot of time, just a little planning, determination, and belief that you are worth it. Maybe you,
- Join a book club at your local library
- Take an online class through Skill Share
- Find an outside walking trail and start collecting leaves…bring them home and press them old school style between wax paper.
- Pick up a book to help you identify the leaves
- Pick up a camera and begin to notice your world in a different way
- Take part of a Saturday and explore an art museum in your area
- Buy an inexpensive set of calligraphy pens and check some books out of the library on hand lettering
- Start a journal…with a little washi tape and some pictures and memorabilia you have a scrapbook!!
- Find a YouTube video and learn how to crochet, knit, embroidery, cook, make soap, raise chickens, build birdhouses…you get the idea!
And maybe it’s been so long since you allowed yourself to think about what you are passionate about that you have no idea where to start. That’s ok too. Sit down and make a list of anything you have ever been remotely interested in learning about. Pick something from the list to explore weekly, and if it doesn’t interest you move to the next item. I can promise you will eventually find something that will inspire you. And remember…YOU ARE WORTH IT!!!
The word repurpose and renovate have become buzz words in our community. After years of operating under the philosophy of new and modern is the only way to go, builders and developers are finally starting to see that repurposing and re-imagining a space has its place in growth as well. We have seen this play out several times in recent years around our city. Sears Crosstown being one of the best examples, a crowing jewel in Memphis architecture and real estate. We have another chance to save a beautiful building with a rich history.
The building above with its gorgeous view of the Mississippi River and the iconic Hernando Desoto Bridge is slated to become a ballroom and event venue. With its high ceilings and beautiful brick archway, this will be an excellent addition to the Memphis downtown.
ThIs building is the original foundry storage building and is being discussed as being used for an upscale tavern/ whiskey tasking. The largest of the buildings, the machine shop, and garage that face Front Street(the first picture in this post) is being discussed for an open and airy conference room. By re-imagining this property and listening to suggestions from Memphians who loved this building and desired to see its rich history preserved, Carlisle LLC has joined the Memphis renovation revolution.
As women, we are taught at an early age that we are the caretakers and nurturers of others. And that is a beautiful job, one that I take seriously and feel honored to do. But to keep pouring out into and for others, we have to remember to refill our own cup. If you have ever traveled on an airplane, the following sentence should be a familiar one; “In case of emergency, air masks will drop from the ceiling. If you are traveling with a minor, please put on your own mask before helping the minor”; but how many times do we really follow these directions in our daily lives? When life gets hectic, your to-do list is never ending, your calendar is jam-packed, and you feel like you are pleasing no one, who is the first person to get pushed to the back burner? If you are anything like me, that person is the one that actually needs the most self-love and grace, that person is yourself. While self-care may seem indulgent and a luxury we can not afford, it is actually crucial to your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well-being. And honestly it doesn’t have to cost anything. However, one very important thing to remember about self care is that it is a practice, it isn’t something you just do once. By making it a part of your routine you are sending a message to yourself and others; that message is “I am worth it. I believe in myself enough to make myself a priority.” The benefits of self care are amazing:
Sometimes things come out of what seems to be nowhere…and kinda sucker punches you right in the gut…and it takes your breath away…and maybe you even feel disoriented, defeated,lost and alone. But then you realize your in the palm of His hand…and nothing takes Him by surprise and everything that touches your life is Father filtered. And you aren’t called to understand, or make sense of it..,you are simply called to stand tall and and keep your eyes forward not backwards at what has happened, or sideways at how others are standing or down in defeat or inward in bitterness but forward at the Son….because at the end of the day The greatest of these is love…and love ALWAYS works…maybe not in our time…or the way we think it should…or in a way we understand…but it works…Every. Single. Time. Amen.
A very personal post today with a lot of words, so you have been warned. The picture on the left was taken May 11st, 2012, the day I entered Lakeside. The picture on the right was taken on July 
