Connection.

“Connection is why we’re here. We are hardwired to connect with others, it’s what gives purpose and meaning to our lives, and without it there is suffering.” 

― Brené Brown, Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead

Connection. It's been on my mind a lot lately and even more so since I just got done reading Daring Greatly. 

To me, the most important things in life are the relationships I have with people, the time that I get to spend with them and the way that we make each other feel - and whether or not we can connect. 

I have to feel like I belong in order to connect with you.. not just "fit in" but belong. I have to feel respected, cared about, and free from judgment. I have to feel comfortable. 

I’m learning to listen to myself and realize how people make me feel (don't let this get you all paranoid.. this is something everyone should be doing!) and I’m trying to find the courage to only surround myself with those that simply make me feel GOOD (is 'courage' the right word?). And at the same time, I'm trying to be as aware as possible of how I make others feel. Am I a good listener? Do I make them feel cared about? Do they feel GOOD after hanging out with me? Are they able to be themselves? Did I show enough interest in their life and how they've been feeling? Am I allowing them to connect?

It helps if I think of relationships with others as self care and as healthy vs. unhealthy.

Is it healthy to be around people or in situations that make you feel uncomfortable? That make you feel like you need to put on a mask? Or that you need to put up a wall? Or that make you feel invisible? Or make you feel like you're not cared about? Or make you feel anxious? I mean.. clearly I could go on and on but I think you catch my drift.

The answer is ‘NO'! It's not healthy!

DUH!

Do you still make time for these unhealthy relationships? Pause and think about this.. and if you don't have an unhealthy relationship to think about consider yourself blessed! What do you do about the unhealthy relationships in your life?

And then the flip side.. 

How much time do you make for the people who are healthy for you? You know, those relationships that make you feel GOOD? Those that you can connect with.. Do you prioritize those people? Do you reach out to them on a regular basis? If not, WHY? 

Think about the quote again: “Connection is why we’re here. We are hardwired to connect with others, it’s what gives purpose and meaning to our lives, and without it there is suffering.” 

I feel that no matter how many people you can connect with there’s always room for more. You simply can’t have too many people in your life you can connect with, right? And you can even try to make more time for those people as well. 

& I sure hope to be the type of person that others can feel a genuine, healthy connection with. 

Where I'm at in Life

Wow, you guys. It's been almost an entire year since I've posted.

Writing is something that helps me feel content. It helps me get my thoughts straight during stressful, trying times. It also helps me to take it all in. To realize everything we have going for us in this life. And to write it down means to experience it again. And to read it brings it all back yet again. If I don't document something, my awful memory loses details. Details are important. And I want these details down in writing so that we can look back on our days whenever we'd like. So our kids can look back on things and get a brighter picture of how life was. This is why I'm blogging again.

I've written on and off throughout this last year. I just haven't made it public. And I really didn't do enough of it.

My New Years Resolution was to read more and write more. Just do it MORE. It helps me relax, slow down and de-stress. So yes, I just needed to do it MORE. Which I've been doing, so go me!

Switching gears..

At the end of February I decided to drop my side gig with Dove Chocolate Discoveries and focus solely on my role of mama and wife.

Let's be honest here, I really hadn't done much of anything with it since June of 2016. When cabin season came around I really let up on my business to spend time up north and with my family. It was a great summer but I always had this nagging guilt inside of me. I should have been working my biz. But I really just wanted to be present and enjoy every day with my family. I told myself that once the cabin closed I would hit it hard again with DCD.. Ha. Yeah, right!

Since I had built up a little customer base I was still getting orders here and there and that's really what kept me from calling it quits a while ago.

At the end of February DCD became The Cocoa Exchange. A new company. I opted to not buy into it and felt this was a good time to part ways.

As of March 1st my title solely became SAHM and Wife. So what do I do with my time?!

I'm involved with the ECFE and volunteer on their Parent Advisory Council. I spend my days during the week keeping up on chores so that our nights and weekends can be dedicated to fun stuff and family. I get to the gym a few times a week to workout and I've actually been cooking! Home cooked dinners! Practically every night! If you know me, you'll realize how huge this is. I've ALWAYS hated cooking. And even just a few months ago I would still end up cursing and crying or both after trying to cook dinner for my family. But not anymore! The key thing is: PLANNING AHEAD!

I feel like we really have a handle on life right now. We're healthy, we're happy and we're having fun. And that's all I could ever want.

#incrediblygrateful