On November 27th, 2023, I penned the words below, and it felt perfect to begin the blog with this as the first entry. If any of the words resonate, please share it with a friend. Much gratitude, Talisha
I found myself in a weird space the past few days, somewhere between anxiousness about the future and the fear of failing miserably for all to see. For those who know me, these feelings and concerns that I’ve been feeling may be surprising. When people need words of encouragement, they usually seek me out because I am the upbeat friend. I wake up most days with a prayer of gratitude on my tongue and affirmations ready to be yelled from the rooftop. I go after the things that I want (even when I am afraid) and for the past few years, I’ve actually set goals and brought them to fruition. And yet still, I am human.
For several days, I’d forgotten to allow myself to rest in my humanness. Instead, I operated in self-judgment for not being perfect and created worst-case scenarios in my mind. I knew I needed to make a change, so last night before bed, I set an alarm for 5:30 AM so that I could wake before the sun and start my day with intention. I wrote out a list of self-care activities I wanted to accomplish.
This morning when I woke, I sat in bed for a few minutes, contemplating if I wanted to go back to sleep or not. I honestly wanted to roll back over and sleep until my work alarm went off, but I made myself a promise, so I gave thanks for another day, stretched, and got up to drink a cup of water. My next step was to meditate for 15 minutes and as soon as I opened the meditation app, I heard the most beautiful and needed words: “Rest in being a complex human being. You can be anxious and still hopeful. Experience peace and also chaos.”
Such a simple phrase brought me back to the present moment. It reminded me I must focus on the here and now. I deserve to let life unfold as it is. My work, my art, and every project that I am involved in mean something to me and I deserve to shake off the feelings of worry and allow things to be as they are in this very moment. And you- the person reading this - deserve the same.
Nobody is perfect, and that’s okay. The world doesn’t need you to be perfect. We only need you to do your best. To fall and trust that you can get back up. To know and believe that you are resilient, and you matter! Whatever goal you have, whatever project you are working on, matters! Celebrate you. Celebrate this moment and never forget that it’s okay to be complex.
Rest in your humanness, friend.
Here are a few ways that I express my thoughts and feelings (the good and the not-so-pretty ones) and how I show myself love. I hope you find them to be helpful on your journey.
• Write it out. Research has proven that journaling helps individuals process emotions. It also boosts mental health and well-being, helps you identify next steps, and decreases stress.
• Talk it out. Find a person who you trust and can be vulnerable with. My friends and family are my go-to people. Oh & therapy is another helpful resource!
• Practice self-care. A few of my favorite ways to show myself love are by practicing meditation, reading a book, dancing in the middle of my living room, and watching an episode of my favorite TV show.
• Say affirmations aloud. Affirmations are part of my daily routine. They make me feel like anything is possible and I also believe that my words hold power.