I remember very clearly the weeks and months that followed a very difficult period in my life. Working through this challenge left me feeling depleted and absolutely exhausted, as many of my nights were spent creating really poor sleeping habits. I stayed up so late that I would nearly always wake up feeling groggy. It was just the norm. Though I didn’t realize it at the time, I was only partially meeting my potential due to the lack of care I was providing for myself.
As the figurative light started returning to my life, I began rebuild by giving generously to myself. I focused on my yoga practice where my community of yogis and friends left me laughing and incredibly uplifted. I started gardening on my Brooklyn rooftop. I grew kale, tomatoes, romaine, basil, and other herbs. I focused on choosing to cook the food I ate and sometimes I was cooking produce that I had grown myself! I made a point to watch the sunset from my rooftop whenever I could. I kept flowering plants in my bedroom.
There’s no shortage of self-help books and podcasts and just about everyone has advice on how to live a cleaner, more sustainable, happier life. More frequently than not, I feel like it’s being shoved down my throat. My advice to you is, spend some time on your own. Do what feels like it’s feeding you. Start by getting enough rest so you can see clearly what’s working in life and what’s not. Begin weeding and in that fresh soil, plant seeds for what brings happiness to you.