While I don’t believe we should view ourselves as continual self-improvement projects, I do, however think there are times we should take inventory of ourselves – our decisions, our emotions, our behaviors, and make sure they align with who we believe ourselves to be and who we ultimately want to be, and then we can make adjustments as needed. This is part of my self-care.
That being said, there are several areas that I’m taking inventory of right now and I’m realizing that I’m not where I want to be and I’m not living the life I want to live, but feel a little lost about how to get some traction to move myself in the direction I want to be in. It’s been a hard year and half and I’ve had a lot of time to think. Where do I want to be 10 years from now? What am I doing to ensure I get there? What things are emotionally weighing me down? How do I address them? Why am I so tired? Why am I unhappy? If you’ve been asking yourself these types of questions, here are some book recs that I hope you’ll love as much as I do.
For as long as I’ve been aware of my body, I’ve not liked it. There, I said it! I’ve spent the better part of 3 decades not liking myself. And, honestly I’m tired of it. I don’t know how much time I have here, but I do know I don’t want to spend it judging and hating myself. I’m challenging the negative thoughts and beliefs I’ve had about myself and am learning what it means to truly love myself. If this resonates with you, go and buy “The Body is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love” by Sonya Renee Taylor. You will not regret it. You can read more about about how I’m practicing radical self-love below!
I’m tired ya’ll. I mean, I am so very tired that lately I’ve been getting in the bed at 6pm 7 days a week! Yep! I know it’s kind of hard to believe, but I’ve literally shut my entire home and family down at 6pm. While I don’t go right to sleep, it feels so good just to rest. One Sunday, we ran late and got in the bed at 8pm and we were tired on Monday (and everyday after that). This lets you know the level of exhaustion I’m dealing with. I recently came across a book called “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry” that took my understanding of what it means to rest to a whole new level. The Nap Ministry planted the seed and continues to water it. However, this book has helped to not only deepen my understanding of rest but to begin this practice in ways I had not yet imagined – this book moved me to think and act more broadly – hence my 6pm bedtime. I am currently working on devoting one full day to rest – where I do no labor, I run no errands, I make no purchases – I only do things that fill me up and help me rest. If you’re ready to slow your life down and rest, get this book.
I’m trying to figure out if there’s anything I’ve worried more about in my lifetime than money. While my health at times has been a concern, I still think it’s been money more than anything else. I never wanted to be a millionaire – per se, but I do believe that having wealth would alleviate many of my concerns. This book – written by a black woman, is providing a vantage point I’ve never seen before. She’s saying (we) should all be millionaires and after seeing it a few times, I said, “that includes me.” She believes that “it’s time to tip the balance of the world’s economic power” and this aligns with my social justice philosophy. I don’t want money for the sake of having money. I want money because I desire freedom. Freedom from being fired at will or let go because of a pandemic that’s decimating my company’s bottom line. I want the freedom to spend time with my family and travel. I want freedom to be able to take days off when I’m sick, exhausted, or feeling emotionally unwell. I want freedom to care for a sick family member. I want freedom to do with my days, what I please. I want freedom to live in a neighborhood or move to a country where I feel safe. I want freedom to help causes and people that I love and none of it can be done without money. If you feel me, do yourself a favor and buy this book. It’s currently 30% off at Target.
