I’ve just gotten through a really hard two weeks.

I’m a planner and I wasn’t able to plan for this.

BUT, I do have systems set up that I believe in.  Things I do every day that keep me in an emotionally good place, that I have made into a routine.

Have I done them daily over the past two weeks?  Nope.  But I feel them pulling me back in a little at a time and I’ve felt them supporting me even when I haven’t actively been doing them.

That’s what a good routine does.

It’s there to support you when the hard times come and help you move forward when you’re ready.

I’d like to talk to you today about my routines and how doing them for 10 years has made them show up for me in the hardest of times.

My dad passed away unexpectedly 2 weeks ago.

I got to see him well, alert, and very much alive 30 minutes before he passed.  This is really hard to talk about so I won’t go into much detail.  But I do want you to understand this…. My dad was the best of men.  I am proud to be his daughter and I believe that he is in a much better place surrounded by those he loves that have passed before him.  I will see him again and that gives me comfort.

I’m sharing this with you today because I think there is a lesson I’ve learned in all of this that we can all benefit from.

If I can’t share the hardest of times and the real times with you on this podcast, then there is no purpose to it.  Feeling overburdened is real.  Life is full of ups and downs and if you only hear about the good times, we can’t really connect can we?

Here’s what I wanted to share with you.

How did I care for myself during this really hard time and how am I continuing to do it? 

I found that when there was so much to do, things I really wanted to help my mom with, it was extremely hard to jump out and take a minute for me.

I left when I was still needed and allowed my husband and kids to love and take care of me for a while.  I felt bad but at the same time, it allowed others to step up, which they were doing already, but each of us had our own way and my way wasn’t the best or the only way to care for my mom.  Recognizing that I think was important.  By taking a little time for me, I was better able to care for her when I got back. 

Now, I’m trying to get back into my routine, but not all at once.  It’s not going to look exactly the same as it did before.  My priorities haven’t shifted, but those in my circle need different things and so do I.  My routine is made of systems that I do every day that help me start each day off with purpose.  Knowing what I need.  Knowing how I want to feel.  Making connections with things outside of myself and inside of myself so I know what I want.  This helps me better able to help others too.  I don’t need all day to care for myself.  I put myself first, but then I go out and do what I feel is needed for those around me.

I am letting myself move a little slower for now.

I’m talking to myself a little kinder, more gently.  I’m making sure I’m staying very aware of how I’m talking to myself.

I’m deciding what is essential each day, those things that have to be done, then listing the other things that need to get done, but maybe aren’t as essential, and doing what I can without pushing myself too much. 

If I don’t get to the less essential things, then I’ll save them for another day. 

Then, I am making sure to do the things that make me feel the best.

I was actually able to go run this morning.  Not as far as usual, but that’s ok.  My energy feels a bit more limited right now and needs to be saved for other things.  I’m taking the time to record my feelings and the events of the past few weeks.  That’s important to me too.  I’m trying to talk to my husband, kids and best friends about my feelings so I don’t keep them bottled up.  These are all part of what I need.

I’ve felt so blessed to be surrounded by loved ones.  Friends I haven’t seen in too long showed up to love and support me.  Even those in my online friendships have given me love and support.  I’ve been so grateful.  Sometimes we give love and sometimes we need to receive love.  I’ve been in need and so blessed to have those who are willing to give it.

So what’s my point with all of this?

Get your systems in place that support you.  Make them habit so when you find yourself in a rough patch, cuz they come when you’re not expecting them, you’ll have your safety net there and ready.  Learn to care for yourself in a way that you feel supported.  I’m so glad that I had it ready.  Routines are more than just plans.  They are self-care at its finest when you’ve made them that way.

Camp Connection is the best self-care routine I’ve ever come across.

I believe that each step was something Heavenly Father put in my path as I was ready to receive it.  Now I use each step, every day.  That’s what I called up when I needed it.

In Camp Connection, I will walk you through all of the everyday things I’ve learned over the years that keep me in a good place mentally and emotionally.  I’m so grateful that I can share it with you in a 5-day time frame so you can put it in place quickly so you can find peace within yourself.

You can register for Camp Connection HERE. It’s totally free and it’s one way I can show love to you for your love and support to me.  I really believe in the systems I teach in that camp and I really do want to share them with you.