And so it begins…
Last night, my plan was to be in bed by 9:00 PM.
Instead, I started a batch of liquid castile soap that decided it was going to be stubborn.
I finally left it on low and made it to bed around 9:30.
When I climbed into bed, I turned on my alarm and my bedtime meditation. Then I immediately opened TikTok for my usual "wind down" before sleep.
And then I immediately closed it.
I actually said out loud to myself, "Change only happens when you follow through."
Then I put the phone down and turned off the lights.
This morning I woke up at 5:17 AM and immediately started trying to convince myself to stay in bed until my alarm went off at 6:30.
Again, out loud, I reminded myself:
"Change only happens when you follow through."
Besides, I wanted to see how the soap was progressing.
So I checked on the soap while my coffee brewed, and now I'm sitting here writing.
What feels strange this morning is that I don't feel rushed.
The kids won't be here for another 45 minutes, which means I get a nice chunk of uninterrupted ME time before the day officially starts.
I didn't wake up with a giant to-do list racing through my mind either.
I'm actually calm.
Peaceful.
And honestly, that feels really good.
I have a lot of products I'm excited to create right now. I have an entire kids section planned that I think children are going to love.
Last winter, during our Black Friday sales, I realized there really wasn't much in the shop that grabbed a child's attention besides the fish soap "fails" sitting in the $1 bin.
That realization sparked a whole list of ideas.
Bath bombs with their favorite characters.
Bath crayons.
Sidewalk chalk.
Personalized notebooks with their own names.
Fun pens geared toward their interests.
Gello Soap.
Soap Paint.
Soap Doh.
Painting kits.
Ice Cream Bubble Scoops.
Fish-in-a-Bag Soaps.
And plenty of other fun creations.
Doesn't that sound like a blast to make?
And the best part?
I already have the world's greatest product testing team.
A room full of daycare kids who get ridiculously excited whenever I create something new.
They absolutely LOVE the Gello Soap.
I think we're going to make sidewalk chalk together today and see how it goes.
It feels good to be excited again.
That excitement changes everything.
My attitude toward just about everything (except dishes... dishes are still dishes) has improved.
There's a sense of peace that's finally settling back in.
Now that the move is finished and the project is complete, I can see just how heavy it really was.
I knew it was consuming my time and energy, but standing on the other side of it is eye-opening.
It helps me understand why I struggled so much to stay on track.
But at the same time, life doesn't stop throwing challenges at us.
There will always be another project.
Another crisis.
Another distraction.
Another reason to put ourselves last.
Learning how to care for ourselves while life is happening is the real lesson.
What's funny is that I can't wait to finish building the 365 Days of Me program because I can't wait to use it myself.
I'm building it with hindsight, and sometimes I forget that.
If I already had these journals completed and sitting on my shelf, I honestly think I would be doing better.
Journaling keeps me connected to myself.
It helps me sort through the noise.
It helps me process the good, the bad, and everything in between.
It keeps me grounded in my goals.
It keeps me invested in ME.
It helps me stay aligned with my purpose.
Right now, I'm building the program while simultaneously discovering exactly what I need from it.
And maybe that's how it was always supposed to happen.
I believe this program can help millions of people.
I truly do.
But even if nobody ever connects with this journey the way I hope they will, I will still have created something that changed my own life.
And honestly?
That is enough.
Because it is hard to make yourself a priority in your own life.
Somewhere along the way, I realized we only get one trip through this thing we call life.
One chance.
One story.
One opportunity to decide who we want to become.
And I've decided it's time to make some of it mine.
If there's one thing I'm learning lately, it's that change doesn't happen in the big dramatic moments.
It happens in the small decisions nobody sees.
Closing TikTok.
Getting out of bed.
Writing the journal entry.
Making the healthier choice.
Following through.
One small promise to yourself at a time.
And eventually, those promises become the life you're building.
Journal Prompts
What small promise to myself have I been breaking that would make the biggest difference if I started following through today?
When life becomes overwhelming, what is usually the first thing I stop doing for myself?
What activities help me feel most connected to myself, and how can I make more room for them this week?
If this sounds like the kind of work you’re ready to step into, you can join us in 365 Days of Me: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1271760971664323
