Present Amidst the Busyness
I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.
Stephen Covey
November 25th, 2024
📍San Miguel de Allende, GTO, Mexico 🇲🇽
¡Saludos desde el desierto!
I've been booking flights and accommodations for my January travels. I'll be celebrating New Years Eve in Iceland, soaking in the Blue Lagoon (that's assuming last week's volcano eruption doesn't keep it closed longer than a month) and chasing the aurora borealis through the fog of their massive fireworks display. FYI- If you ever find yourself flying to/from Europe and the US, Icelandair makes it really easy to add stopovers.
After chasing the auroras for two nights, I will catch an early flight to the UK for an 8-day Trusted Housesitters stay, followed by a long weekend in London, eating my way through Borough Market and visiting museums (an excellent indoor activity for the inevitable January rain). After that, I'm off to Germany to explore Berlin and the surrounding areas for two weeks while leading a women's retreat and delivering a sermon in Magdeburg.
While I'm excited for my next adventure, it was stressful to get all the travel plans booked across three countries. Then my mom got sick and had to go to the hospital because of her immune-compromised state after starting chemo. This past week, I've been scatterbrained; my ADD has been on fire, and I've been struggling to focus under the weight of a heavy workload (I'm trying to get everything for January done now so I can take December off to prioritize rest).
In the final stretch leading up to Thanksgiving, I'm sure you can relate to this anxious state of my nervous system.
I've been having familiar conversations with myself and my therapist about creating healthy boundaries around my schedule and energy. I wasn't showing up how I wanted to, and I know that no one can change that for me but me.
Once my sleep patterns change, that's the first warning light on my body's command center. "Check Engine" has been flashing at me, and in my busyness, I've been self-abandoning by trying to push through it. I needed a break.
I moved some things around on my calendar to prioritize rest at the pool and booked myself a traditional prehispanic cacao ceremony (more about that in a future letter). Doing these things settled my heart, and one message kept coming up loudly and clearly—Jennifer, you're not being present.
I was so focused on future deadlines, worries for my mom, and January travel plans that I was no longer present in what I was doing here and now. I wasn't present and awake in my current life in SMA; I was stuck in my brain, focused on the future. No wonder the last two weeks have flown by in a blur.
My friends, as Thanksgiving and the rest of the holidays continue to run towards us, I encourage you to take a step back and assess the situation. Our bodies always know the truth; we are usually too busy to notice. Is your body telling you to slow down, and are you missing the messages?
How can you practice self-care in this busy season by carving out moments in your day (set your alarm clock 10 minutes earlier) to practice being present in the Presence of God? To say "yes" to Jesus' invitation to find rest?
With love,
Jennifer
PS- Looking to build some community in your life? Join us on The Collective 🪷 on WhatsApp and Facebook.
PSS- Want weekly updates sent to your inbox? Sign up for Loto Letters below👇
If you are looking for an online community, we humbly and with love invite you to join the digital Loto community of believers, known as "The Collective 🪷," through our WhatsApp community or Facebook group.
| ||||||||||||||||||
