Magnificent One!

So far in this first week in September, I’ve been bombarded with emails and social media posts about getting our collective fall hustle on… From strategies to make sure your annual goals are complete by year-end to back-to-school organizational tricks to all the new programs and projects to jump on. Bam!

Well, my message for you is going to be quite different. All I’m writing you today to say is…

BE GENTLE ON YOURSELF THIS WEEK.

Yes, September always feels like a second “New Year”, so it’s tempting to ramp up like mad this week. Afterall, it takes a lot of work and determination to make a difference in this life. But remember that you’re also just coming out of the more relaxed and unstructured time that summer often provides. Even if you didn’t take formal time off, summer often means less emails (thank god!) and less expectations for folks to bust their butt.

Maybe this more relaxed energy in the air has allowed your shoulders to start softening down and your multi-tasking mind to rest a bit. This is GOOD! So, don’t go assaulting this groovy state by going 0 to 60 this week…even if the world is egging you on to do so.

I have to admit that traditionally the first week in September is really intense for me. In the past, I’ve acted as if any relaxing I’ve done in the summer needs to be paid for with double-time catch-up. HOWEVER, I got a little curse/gift this summer called Subacute Thyroiditis that’s set me straight.

SubT (my pet name for it :p) is a rare and thankfully temporary condition that comes on after a flu which causes your thyroid to start firing off all its hormones for about a month and half…making a person hyperthyroid. And then for the next month and half, with no hormones left in your stores, you swing to the other extreme of being hypothyroid.

Suffice it to say, it’s been a wee exhausting.  And even though I am WAAAAY off track for my 2019 goals as I enter September because of it, I have to just relax with that for the sake of my body.

So, this week I am getting refocused and continuing to whittle away at my big goals, but I’m doing so with earlier bedtimes, daily exercise, my soul practice, little 5 minute rests throughout the day, and a softer attitude. And, as per usual, that little bit of a grace is actually opening the door to more focus, creativity, and joy.

My bad habit of pushing myself too hard is far from gone, but the whisper in my head to be gentler is certainly helping to take the edge off of it. I plan on keeping this nurturing shift intact long after the SubT is gone.

And I hope it doesn’t take a stupid rare virus for YOU to heed this whisper as the September gauntlet gets thrown down.

Don’t get sucked in… Things aren’t actually “do or die” this week and you don’t have to suffer for your down-time.

Just BE GENTLE ON YOURSELF, DEAREST.