there are a thousand ways to heal ourselves. this is my medicine cabinet.
A. anne lamott. this woman. my word, this woman. this is why. this too. she reminds me it's okay to be flawed.
B. books. now that i'm finally finished with graduate school and revisions i can dive into the ever-growing stack of things i want to read. books are gifts, mini vacations, and therapy, all in one.
c. chocolate, of the dark variety. i don't think an explanation is really needed here.
d. dogs. i love ben's black lab mix sloth, even though he sometimes makes my eyes well up and my skin itch. dogs heal. they sense when you need cuddling and sloth is constantly happy to oblige. even going to my parents' house to see their three dogs instantly makes me relax.
e. eva. this little girl has changed my world in the best possible way. i love being there for all of these special moments in her life: swim lessons, meeting the easter bunny, pajama parties. this girl is magic.
f. flowers. buying myself a cheap bouquet of flowers is one of the fastest ways to a wonderful mood. and it's one way i practice radical self-care.
g. go. movement. being able to move my body is a blessing. feeling the power of my body is another.
h. help. asking for help when i need it is another way i show myself love and self-care. it's also one of the hardest things for me to do. it takes practice.
i. italy. studying in florence for five weeks six years ago changed my life. i'm working on a piece about it right now.
j. jogging. jogging, running, sprinting, it makes me feel good to move my body and push myself. i love all of it even when i hate it.
k. kisses. feel so goooood.
l. love. it took me a long time to find it. for and inside myself, and for and with a partner. but i'm here.
m. mary chapin carpenter. similar to anne lamott, i could write for days about my love for this woman and what her music has done for/to me. i built a road trip around seeing her in in kentucky. she's that special to me.
n. nothing. having a day of nothing planned doesn't happen often, but when it does i take full advantage of it. it is crucial to hit the pause, slow, restart buttons in our life and take a personal day.
o. olive oil. i'm like the italian version of my big fat greek wedding in that i think everything is better with olive oil.
p. parks and recreation. i literally feel joy in every part of my body while watching this show. it's hilarious and it's a show with heart. those are hard to find.
q. quiet. i've learned to cherish solitude and slowing down and learning not to fill the silence in my life. quiet is a gift.
r. reflection. taking the time to see where i was, where i am, where i want to be. taking the time to gain perspective.
s. singing. don't care when or where, i love to sing. and when i do adele i become adele. she's the best.
t. tom hanks. again, i think this is self-explanatory.
u. umbrellas. i'm a big fan of the rain, as long as it's not freezing. it relaxes me. and that's reason enough to love something.
v. voice. finally finding mine is the best thing i've ever done for myself. and sometimes it gets too quiet and sometimes it won't shut up. but i'll never again apologize for using it. my wish is that the whole world finds theirs.
w. walking. walking heals unlike many other things in this world. i did it in italy, kentucky, new york. and i do it everyday here in chicago. and sometimes i pay enough attention to what's in front of me that i stop listening to music and look deeper at the world.
x. (stealing audrey's move here and going with xpectations. i put a lot on myself and in turn on other people. this rarely works out well. i've learned to do this less and less and one day i will stop.
y. yes. i'm practicing saying this word a whole lot more. feels really good to say it. to say yes to myself even when it's hard.
z. ziploc bags. i love portioning out snacks and packing healthy lunches. another way to practice radical self-care. i take the time for myself. it's taken me a long time to get here, but here i am.
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