Hi friends! Thanks for stopping by—I’m so glad you’re here! 😁

Let’s see what brought the sparkle this week!

As of Monday, Pudge has been with us for six months! 😭💖 Even though I’m pretty iffy on the term “fur baby,” she is 1000% my baby. She is the best emotional support buddy and co-worker (even while snoring through the workday) a gal could ask for. I loved her when I would watch her for Maggie, and now that love is on a whole new level. 😭💖

Baseball is back! What a lovely distraction to have. Also, Spring Training! SPRING! It’s actually almost here! 🥲🌺🌼

Oh, therapy. Lately, I’ve been feeling the emotional reverberations for days afterward, but instead of being freaked out by it (“What is wrong with me?!” “Why am I feeling like this?!”), I’m trying to embrace the idea that feelings are just part of life. Panicking over them, or shaming myself for them, or judging them just makes everything worse.

So last weekend, I let myself cry when I felt sad or scared (even in yoga class!), and I’ve literally written Notes in my phone reminding myself that “it’s okay” to feel whatever I’m feeling at that time.

Ultimately, I’ve been trying to give my inner child the support and validation she needed when she panicked over big, scary feelings as a kid. Some particularly helpful messages have been:

It’s okay to feel scared.

(A reminder I often get from my therapist. I will end with “full stop” sometimes when it needs a little extra oomph. 💃🏼🔥)

and

It’s okay to miss anyone at any time for any reason.

(Separation anxiety is big for me—both to feel and to judge—so avoiding qualifications on this one really helped.)

I wasn’t able to get in for a second therapy session this week, but clearly I had my own session with myself LOL! Highly HIGHLY recommend inner child work. Establishing a relationship with my inner child and working with her instead of against her has been a serious game changer. To be able to step in with a kind, compassionate voice in lieu of my therapist?! Huge. HUGE! 🥳🥳