This summer has been…..grueling to say the least. I have never felt so overwhelmed and just plain exhausted day in and day out in….ever?

I’m taking the stress as a sign to really slow down when I can. To listen to my body because I’m still fighting chronic illness SIBO, digestive & skin issues, but boy do they flare up when I’m running myself ragged. I had to call in sick one day because my gut was a complete mess due to all of the stress/lack of rest. The body is amazingly intuitive when we take the time to really listen to it.

In some ways, I’ve come a long way and I’m proud of my body for holding up so well considering the unexpected crazy workload this year. In other ways, I realize there’s a lot of work yet to do. I’m okay with it. Over the years I have become really in tune with what it needs and which drives Mike a little crazy because I’m so hypersensitive to everything. But when you have been sick your entire life with no answers or direction, you will do anything to feel better. Even if that means paying extra close attention to how you feel.

A few things that have helped:

• DND (Do not disturb) on iPhone is life changing!! Swipe down from the top right of the screen, find the half moon shape and boom. All phone calls, text messages & emails are put on silence. They will still come in, but you won’t be notified….unless you look for them. You can also set up favorites that allows specific people’s calls/messages to come through. I added Mike & my grandma just in case. Side note: Airplane Mode is great too, but sometimes I like to have internet access but want everyone to leave me TF alone. Ha!
• Create a morning and evening routine. My mornings are super calm & very slow. Starting with opening the blinds & cracking the window for fresh air. Then I enjoy breakfast, take my natural supplements & hot tea in bed. I literally lounge in bed with jazz or bossanova music playing and chill. Evenings are a long shower, reading in bed with the window wide open & watching an episode of Last Man Standing. I know most don’t recommend watching tv before bed, but find what works for you.
• CBD Oil. It’s very calming before bed, so I take it before I hop in the shower. By the time I’m out it’s all about the ZEN.
• Realizing what your mind + body can handle. Say no events/people/things that you just don’t have the time or in my case energy for. We are so worried about others, which is a great trait to have, but when we’re overextended, pouring our energy into big projects/work/family, we need to realize ourselves need to come first. It’s completely okay to get a massage, have a healthy meal in silence or go for a long walk + listen to a good podcast.
• Spirulina: A supplement my acupuncturist recommended for iron & energy. I’ve taken it daily for the last month and really think it has helped.

There we have it, a few things that have been helping me get through lately. There are so many other things….like we planned a vacation in August that has really helped having something fun to look forward to.

The key for me it to realize when I’m pushing it + honor it. Even if that means you have to call out or chill in bed a few hours before you start the day.

Okay it’s 9:58am…gotta get ready for work now.

Please feel free to leave your tips in the comments!