You matter too
Good morning. Mid-week check-in.
How are you really doing?
Not your calendar. Not your to-do list. Not the version of you that keeps pushing through because everyone else needs something.
You.
Somewhere along the way, most of us learned to treat rest like a reward instead of a necessity. We tell ourselves we’ll slow down later. After the work is done.
But the work is never completely done.
You deserve care too. Not someday. Not when you’ve earned it. Today.
So take a breath, pull up a chair, and spend a few minutes filling your own cup. Today’s table has 100+ real self-care ideas, a poem that will touch you, questions that go deeper, and a free Bingo challenge to try by Sunday. All free.
If you’re not sure where to start, this is exactly where I’d send you →
100+ ideas for what filling your own cup actually looks like in practice. Not just bubble baths and face masks. Real, doable practices for the woman who keeps giving and forgetting to receive. 4,000 readers have used these.
TABLE WISDOM
“Keep good company, read good books, love good things, and cultivate soul and body as faithfully as you can.” — Louisa May Alcott
This poem has been living in my head. I think you’ll understand why →
”I hate small talk.
I wanna talk about atoms, death, aliens,
sex, magic, intellect,
the meaning of life,
faraway galaxies, the lies you’ve told,
your flaws, your favorite scents,
your childhood, what keeps you up at night,
your insecurity and fears.
I like people with depth,
who speak emotion from a twisted mind.
I don’t want to know “what’s up.”
-Author unknown
These are the questions that actually get there ⬇️
Tired of Small Talk? These Questions Spark Real, Meaningful Conversations
They got our family talking for an hour.
Ever wondered what your fireworks name would be?
One quick answer can turn into laughs, surprises, and a name you’ll be claiming all night. We tried this, and my fireworks name was somehow perfectly accurate.
CHALLENGE OF THE WEEK
Daily self-care.
AFFIRMATION OF THE WEEK
I choose what helps me feel my best.
For the kind of moments that turn into traditions.
STORIES FROM THE TABLE
As a mom, burnout can knock on the door a little too often. And a little too loudly.
So, this is for all of us who work hard but sometimes need a nudge to slow down and enjoy life.
At the end of the day, this life is precious. And it’s really quite short.
We need to give ourselves the love and care we deserve too. So that we are truly here for it. Giving all that we can give. And enjoying the moments in between.
(Researcher Kristin Neff’s work on self-compassion shows that treating yourself with the same care you’d offer a friend is one of the strongest predictors of resilience and emotional well-being. Not selfishness, as most of us were taught.)
Here’s a short list of practices to help:
– Nature: A long nature walk does wonders for your mind.
– Meditation/Prayer: Letting yourself think, reflect, sit, or pray is the best cure of overwhelm.
– Community: Have you spent time with family or friends recently? Schedule a get-together or coffee date today.
– Journaling: It’s such an undervalued practice. Let go of your toxic emotions, record your blessings, and reflect on how to make your life better with this one simple tool. If you pick just one of these this week, journaling is where I’d start. Here are prompts that make it easier than a blank page →
– Exercise: Our bodies are made to move! Movement will give you energy and make you happier. Plus, it releases ongoing stress and allows you to re-focus.
If you pick even ONE of these, you’ll skyrocket the way you feel about yourself, your day, and your life.
And if you want to stop intending to take care of yourself and actually do it, the Self-care Workbook is the most practical tool I have for doing that. $19 today. $27 next week. PDF in your inbox in minutes. Goal tracking. Self-care practices. A wellness framework. A journaling system. One planner instead of four.
Here’s what Karen said about it →
“I am loving the self-care planner! It is so packed full of good resources/ideas! I am especially enjoying the self-care kit idea.”
Get the Workbook Before the Price Goes Up →
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
If someone who loved you deeply were in charge of your schedule this week, what would they encourage you to do more of?
WHAT’S TODAY?
National Take Back the Lunch Break Day is today! Step away, eat your lunch, and take a real break. Consider it today’s first self-care practice. And your mid-week check-in homework.
TABLE TALK
Thank you for pulling up a chair and gathering with us. I hope you enjoyed today’s edition. If you have anything at all you’d like to share, ask, or say, just hit reply. I’d love to hear from you.
I appreciate you!
See you tomorrow at the table,
Jenn Kropf
Founder of Healthy Happy Impactful