learning to breathe again

Not too long ago, a friend came to visit me, and we went into New York for the weekend. One of our mutual friends told me to “take a ton of pictures!” and my visiting friend responded “telling Jamie to take pictures is like telling her to breathe.”

And that’s really what it feels like. For a while, I was holding my breath. I’ve always been my own worst critic. And I feel like I was avoiding my camera because I wasn’t doing great work. I wasn’t improving. But- surprise, surprise- the way to improve most certainly is NOT by letting your camera gather dust. It’s so silly. Because the moment I picked it up again was truly like a breath of fresh air. I ran through the woods, giddy and excited and dancing.

These past few weeks I’ve really tried to focus on ME and fulfilling my own needs. The more stressed at work I get, the more I try to balance with creative outlets. I’ve been baking and blogging and DIY-ing all over the place. I even sat and played video games for an hour the other night. The fact that I can let go and relax that much? Amazing. I spoiled myself with cute MSU gear when we were home the other weekend, and also a few new pairs of heels. No post-purchase guilt. I would spend that money on someone else in a heartbeat, but I’m deserving of it too. 

I’ve also been finding little ways to indulge in feeling good about myself. A coat of lip gloss before heading out the door works wonders. Perfectly polished nails really make me feel more professional. Pausing for a moment to smell the fall air, snuggle with a kitten, stick my face in the sunshine, or sip a hot cup of tea… instant rejuvenation. I went for a run tonight even though it was borderline too dark. Worth it. And Husband gave me an easy strength-building routine to add to my exercise plan. It’s amazing how small things can make such a positive impact.

Here’s to breathing in deep of all the good life has to offer.