Hey, Reader. Self-care looks a little different for me since publishing What Self Care Looks Like in 2021. But the basics? They’re still the same. 💜 I’ve learned that self-care isn’t about finding the perfect routine or checking every box. It’s about staying connected to yourself enough to recognize what you need and giving yourself permission to honor it. The 5 Wellness Points are still at the center of that for me: ✨ Social Wellness — making space for connection, friendship, laughter, and...
about 17 hours ago • 1 min read
Hey, Reader. Back to School Check-In 💜 Before we jump into the routines, schedules, and never-ending to-do lists, let’s pause and check in with you. How are you feeling about the back-to-school season? 😌 I’m ready! Bring on the routines. 🙂 I’m feeling okay. A little busy, but I’ve got this. 😵💫 I’m overwhelmed. There’s just SO much to do. 😩 I’m exhausted already. And school hasn’t even started! 🥺 I’m feeling all the feelings. Excited, anxious, overwhelmed…a little bit of everything. Whatever...
14 days ago • 1 min read
Hey, Reader. Would you rather... 😴 Get 8 uninterrupted hours of sleep every night for a month OR 📋 Have someone else carry the entire mental load for a month? Before you answer too quickly, think about it. Not just the laundry. Not just the dishes. Not just the school drop-offs. I'm talking about the invisible list running through your head all day long: Remembering the dentist appointment Knowing who needs new shoes Planning dinner Tracking the family calendar Refilling the prescription...
3 months ago • 1 min read
Hey, Reader. 7 years of marriage.8 years of motherhood.And about 5 years of intentionally managing the mental load, exhaustion, resentment, and overwhelm through self-care. Not bubble baths.Not spa days.Not “just take a break.” I’m talking about the kind of self-care that keeps you functioning when everyone needs something from you at the same time. The kind that teaches you how to recognize when you’re disappearing beneath the weight of motherhood. Because somewhere along the way, I realized...
3 months ago • 1 min read
Motherhood doesn’t hit every woman the same way. A lot of that starts with pregnancy. In What Self Care Looks Like, I talk about the 3 pregnancy experiences I’ve observed over the years: Living the DreamYou were actively trying to conceive. You felt overjoyed seeing that positive test. You had nursery ideas, support, excitement, and dreams about motherhood long before your baby arrived. Challenge AcceptedThe timing wasn’t ideal, but motherhood was always part of the plan. You adjusted,...
4 months ago • 1 min read
Hey, Reader. The “sleep while your baby sleeps” advice has been up for debate for years. I’ve always been a “sleep while your baby sleeps” girlie, but over time, the way I deliver that advice has changed a bit. Some people think it’s unrealistic to expect a woman to sleep while her baby sleeps. Some new mothers experience postpartum anxiety or other postpartum disorders that make it nearly impossible to fully relax, let alone fall asleep. Other moms simply don’t have enough support or a...
4 months ago • 1 min read
Hey, Reader. There are a lot of books out there that promise to “help.” But this one is different. I didn’t write What Self Care Looks Like to give you a longer to-do list or another set of expectations to live up to. I wrote it because I know what it feels like to lose yourself in motherhood—and quietly wonder if you’ll ever feel like you again. This book will make you better—but probably not in the way you’ve been taught to think about “better.” Not more perfect.Not more productive.Not more...
4 months ago • 1 min read
Hey, Reader. There’s something about time that changes how you see motherhood. In the early years, I thought being a “good mom” meant doing more—more tasks, more planning, more giving. I thought if I could just stay on top of everything, I’d finally feel like I was getting it right. But over the years, I’ve been quietly collecting lessons. And almost all of them point back to one thing: Who I am matters just as much as what I do. My daughter is 8 now. And the most meaningful thing I’ve...
5 months ago • 1 min read
Hey, Reader. I used to find it very difficult not to blame myself for things, even if they seemed outside of my control. I've learned that some things, even under our best intentions, just don't go our way. And that's ok. For example, I used to believe being punctual was a badge of honor. "I’m promotable, because I’m on time". Or "I’m a good friend, because I’m always on time". In reality, I just had less things in my way of being on time. When my daughter was a toddler, I would up wake at...
5 months ago • 1 min read
Hi friend, We’re coming out of the haze of winter gloom. The weather is becoming more mild. The days are stretching a little longer. There’s a softness in the air that whispers, fresh start. And yet… our demands remain unchanged. For me, it’s still work Monday–Friday.Meal planning.Spending intentional time with my daughter and husband (and making space to see extended family, too). I’m in three graduate-level classes right now.Laundry is piling up.My fan blades are dusty.And I’m tired. The...
6 months ago • 1 min read