Savoring September

The days are moving at such a rapid pace. Fall is soon to replace summer and the holidays will not be too far behind.

Once September arrives, I always feel like the year is almost over because the rush sets in.

And with all my projects and end of year goals, this time of year can seem overwhelming and exhausting.

That is why I am being even more intentional. While busy, I want now more than ever to ensure I am savoring every moment.

I do not want to look back in the last week of December and wonder where the time went. I want to be able to smile and say "wow" look what I did to embrace every moment.

Yes, the days will still go by, and I will feel rushed with so many things going on, but each day if we take a moment to soak it in, to practice gratitude, and to remember why we are on this journey - then we can look back with a sense of "awe" and happiness.

With that, let's catch up on what I've been up to this week...

Quote 

“There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it. Edith Wharton

Reading           

Are you like me and still working from home?  Or have you gone back to your office?  Either way, I think you’ll like some of the ideas outlined in this article: 13 Easy Ways to Switch Off From Work at the End of the Day, by Lauren Geall (click here) about transitioning from work to “at home” hours. For those of us who are still working from home, this can be especially trying. 

I found some of the 13 tips interesting and worth a try.  We all need to decompress and the more deliberate we are about that the better!

(1) Tidy up.

(2) Write it all down—as in the list of your accomplishments for the day and what you need to get done tomorrow.

(3) Move your body—it’s important to remember to do this throughout the day, but it can help create the transition from work hours to personal hours if you go to the gym or just turn on some dance music.

(4) Go for a walk. 

(5) Cook dinner—I’ll admit that I’m not a great cook, but I have been doing more cooking lately and there really is some truth to the calming effects of chopping and cooking. 

(6) Have a bath.

(7) Talk to a friend. 

(8) Get crafty.

(9) Listen to a podcast.

(10) Do a puzzle.

(11) Look after your skin. 

(12) Give yourself a facial massage.

(13) Change clothes—remember when you had your Sunday clothes, your school clothes, and your stay-at-home clothes?  Same principle here with the added benefit that physically changing out of your clothes triggers your brain to think about and embrace the transition. 

Following        

I met a young woman last weekend who truly inspired me and I’m sharing her mission and story in the hopes that you will be inspired to donate to her organization.  Ashley Eubanks told us at the Women of Color Empowerment Institute Conference that there are women and girls in our community who cannot afford monthly sanitary products.  So, they go without or they improvise.  Think about that the next time you prepare for your monthly cycle.  Homeless and many low-income women and girls are improvising or going without (!). From her website: “The mission of The Beauty Initiative is to help people feel clean and make hygiene necessities accessible. The aim of The Beauty Initiative is to promote healthy hygiene techniques to those who need us most through compassion and human connection in order to restore their dignity. Since its inception in 2016, The Beauty Initiative has donated hygiene products throughout the US as well as delivering products internationally. To total more than 800,000 hygiene necessities to ensure that hygiene is not a luxury, but a human right.”  Click here to read more about this worthy cause.  

Connecting      

Light Watkins (Click here) recently posted this about meditation and connection:  “We don’t just meditate for ourselves.  We also meditate for our neighbors, for our kids, for our friends, for our partner.  We meditate for our parents and siblings, and for our teachers and for strangers.  In fact, we meditate for whomever we will cross paths with today.  Which means, it’s never about meditating just to get good at meditation.  It’s about meditating so we feel more connected to life.”  AMEN!  How do you feel more connected to life?  Painting, gardening, cooking, reading, walking, daydreaming?  It’s your choice and when you do something intentionally and purposefully magic happens.  And that magic will radiate from you to everyone around you.

Celebrating    

I’m celebrating the dedication of my new book, The Decision to Start:  25 Tips for a Second Career as a Woman Business Owner, to my son Mark. “Every entrepreneur should have someone who supports her journey.  Someone who encourages and cautions when necessary.  Someone who listens and reminds her of her values, mission, and vision.  Someone she can count on to celebrate success and lessons learned.  I dedicate this book to my son, Mark Henri Allen, who has been and is still that someone for me.  You are my rock and my inspiration.  I am blessed to have you in my life.”  Who is that someone in your life?  Have you told them the role they play and how important they are to you?  Call them.  Send a text.  Send a card. Reach out to that someone and let them know how you feel about them. 

So, I ask you, what practice(s) will you put in place to stop and savor the days?

• Will you use one of the 13 ways to unplug?
• Will you meditate to help you connect?
• Will you pause and reflect with gratitude?

Whatever you choose, make sure you are intentional about making it a ritual that you will do each day.

I have so many ways I pause, and one of my favorites is the practice of gratitude. And I would like to invite you to join me in November for my annual "Gratitude Challenge". We will be sending more information soon.

If you would like to chat further about how to manage your energy and savor your days, I invite you to Click here to grab a 30-minute complimentary discovery chat with me.

Wishing you peace and joy.