Fall back. Forward.

A clock may but time in fact does not go backwards. And the older we get, the harder that lesson hits. As the days whizz by, it’s far too easy for our dreams, desires, and even wellness to end up on a shelf collecting dust or tossed carelessly on the chair in the corner with last week’s worn clothes.

If we’re not careful, the best made plans can become thwarted by life’s unexpected demands and then we lose focus on what we said we want for ourselves. Shit, it happens even when we are careful and doing everything right. 

As I type this, I reflect on how the last Little Sparks I wrote was sent a full year ago. Where did a year go? I was in a groove of fulfilling my goal to write and share regularly. I had my spreadsheet, my topics, my bullet points, my running notes – I was doing what I know creates momentum. But despite my plans for consistency, life happened and things changed. I managed to keep writing while I navigated an auto-immune flare up but then … I just … stopped. I had to. I had to take care of my health. And what was first just a break for healing became an all out pause in my progress. Enough to let in other priorities and responsibilities that made me question – am I busy or am I avoiding? 

Definitely both. 

I said recently in a podcast, that “living a life you love is a practice” and the same sentiment applies to pretty much anything we want to achieve in life. Even if you just want to accomplish better naps – that too is a practice – the act of doing something repeatedly in order to improve or maintain one’s abilities. It’s coming back to the page, the mat, the gym, the vision, or whatever keeps calling to you, even though you struggle to show up. It took me about a full year, two intense medical procedures, a lot of doctor’s visits, so much bloodwork, and a lot of frustration to get to the other side. There was also love, support, and comfort. There was my determination and my deepened gratitude for being well. In terms of running my new business, I had to start everything again. 

While I wasn’t writing as much as I wanted since this summer’s stamp of full recovery, there was still plenty going on. You’ve heard about some of it in our announcements. I’ve been hosting events, producing for clients, cultivating new partnerships, and taking classes to sharpen my entrepreneurial skills and give my dreams some real infrastructure. It’s exciting and it’s still me not doing the thing. (In this case, writing more.) Does this sound familiar? 

Now, as the shift in daylight indicates to us that it's time to “fall back”, slow down, and cozy up – what does it look like to fall back into a habit, a routine, a beloved hobby that brings you joy or relief? You don’t need a new year or new resolutions to reattempt your plans. You just need to remember to practice.