Come to the Next ‘Happy Hour’?

Happy October Reader,

I took most of the summer off. I hadn't planned on it, but if I think about it, it just made sense. My inclination to play is always stronger in the summers AND I was way tired. The caregiving of the previous months in Toronto really took their toll on me. It became apparent that putting my life on hold for seven months to be with dad was very disruptive to my rhythm. Not only was my experience there intense, but so many things in my life here piled up as a result of me being away. With a mountain of catch up weighing me down, plus the added stress of managing dad's needs from a distance, I needed to check out, reclaim my energy and focus on settling myself back into my life before I could offer more to anyone else.

So, I spontaneously closed the doors for the rest of the summer and took a break, until (Canadian) Thanksgiving. I hope you had a good one.

To update you, at the end of July, I had my first 'Happy Hour' at THE LOUNGE (my beta membership program), where we talked about all things self-care. It went really well. It was an open conversation about how we are doing with our self-care, what gets in the way, what needs more attention and at the end, everyone walked away with one doable step for the day.

Some of the common themes I often hear about blocks to self-care include time, money, a sense of shame/guilt and not knowing how. Are any of these true for you? While it certainly can take time and money, it doesn't always have to have a price. A simple example: one of the Happy Hour participants shared that she likes to read a lot. She also loves nature, which is so grounding and helps both soothe and regulate the nervous system (critical self-care!). From our heart-to-heart, she realized she could marry the two and read outside while under a tree. Simple. Doesn't cost her anything in time OR money. That's self-care - doing things that feel good, bring joy, inspire an inner "ahhhh" and nurture your body, mental health and soul.

Wanna join the conversation at the next 'Happy Hour'? It's scheduled for Sunday, October 30th, at 11:11am PST (2:11pm EST).

Again, if you purchased the ebook and haven't yet claimed your free spot, please join me. For those who have already attended, as my inaugural peeps, you are welcome to return. After that you'll be offered a spacious, supportive and nurturing trial package that will take us until the end of this year. I'll share more about it in THE LOUNGE.

See you there?

PS I appreciate you being here. And if you're new, welcome. ❤