Hey there! I know I’ve been a little MIA on the blog lately, so I wanted to catch you up on what we’ve been up to! Life seems to be going super fast over the past couple of months and if I’m being completely honest, kind of a drag.
Months ago, my Uncle passed away from a fast growing cancer. It was vicious, beyond brutal to watch and probably the most heartbreaking loss my family has had in a while. I sat with him for weeks, watching him and my family suffer, knowing our lives were seriously about to change. And I was right, they changed.
Death is hard. It comes in waves. Waves of grief. Waves of anger. And even waves of acceptance. I’m not really sure where I’m at, but most days I’m still shocked he’s gone. Almost every time I have joy, it’s followed with a reminder that he’s not here anymore and how his kids must feel if its effected me this much.
Over the next month, we got to enjoy my brother being home (for 3 weeks) before his big deployment. This was his 2nd deployment and sadly, just as hard as his first one. The time we spent together was good, but the goodbye was rough.
Right before his first deployment (many years ago) my Dad was diagnosed with prostate cancer and I had just went through my second miscarriage. Fast forward to now, he was leaving to go overseas while the family was going through another crisis. My heart broke for him, because I couldn’t imagine how he was feeling.
Sometimes life makes no sense, and it’s so easy to get down. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little sad lately. How could I not be? I’m extremely close with my family, and two major things just happened. But, I also have to remind myself that other people rely on me, and I have to keep going.
So, that’s how this post came about. Sometimes life just gets too hard and you need some self-love to power through. These five simple hacks help put a pep back in my step, and remind me to keep my head up so I can still be a present Mom + Wife.
- Take some YOU time. This doesn’t mean you have to get in your car and go somewhere. It can be simple. Mine is a hot bath (with the door closed… if you have kids, you’ll understand what I’m saying. There’s nothing relaxing about a 4-year-old bossing you around while you’re trying to bathe) with some Lavender Epsom salt. The lavender is calming + Epsom salt helps remove toxins, so this is a great stress reliever.
- Buy some new PJ’s. Whenever I feel really down, a new pair of jammies honestly make me feel better. It kind of feels weird saying that out-loud, but it’s the truth. It always makes me feel like I’m winning at life, when I go to bed not looking a #hotmess!
- Do something crafty. This seems to be the time I shine in my DIY activities. Painting a wall, redoing an old piece of furniture, or renovating your parents house HA! It’s the biggest stress reliever + makes you feel so good once you’ve completed the project.
- Unplug from social media + spend the day connecting with the family. This is something I really enjoy, and need to do more. When I worked a 40 hour week job, we had a no cell phone rule that applied the minute we walked in the door, until Riley was asleep. It was so nice, and probably something we need to reinstate.
- Go for a drive. This is one of my favorite things to do with John. We just get in the car, Riley normally falls asleep (the teenager is off doing cool/fun things) and we just drive. Sometimes we talk about life, sometimes we sit in silence and glance out the windows, but we never have a plan and just see where the road takes us. And if it’s a really good day, we sometimes find a new place to eat and sing songs to the top of our lungs.
The man legit thinks he’s George Strait.
If you find yourself in a rut and need a little push to keep going, remember that you’re not alone and do something that brings you JOY! Here’s a quote I came across that really stuck out!
“The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives, and everything to do with the focus of our lives.”
I have a fun campaign coming up and I can’t wait to share it with you guys! I’ve turned down a lot of stuff lately because I wasn’t into the product, but I finally found one I love and had no problem promoting. So be on the look out for that soon!
I hope everyone has a wonderful week and I hope this post reminds you that we’re all fighting battles in life and we just need to remember to breathe.
xoxo- Lauren