Good evening, and happy almost Memorial Day weekend to all! I, for one, am excited to take a break this weekend, and you all should do the same. It has been the most Monday-esque May, hasn’t it? I mean, we have so much to look forward to in life…a recession, rising facism, skyrocketing inflation, World War III…

I feel like at this point in the year I usually start to feel my overwhelm turn into a sigh of relief because summer is so close that I can practically taste it. But for some reason, maybe like the few little problems I’ve listed above, this May has not brought on those feelings, and I’m noticing a lot of others feeling that way; rather, the existential dread about being a person every day is sinking in, and the promise of summer is not as magical as it once was, and I’m actually dreading the sweat and the heat and the climate change and the impending end of the world and —

Let’s all just enjoy this weekend! Barbeques galore! Friends, s’mores, and the great outdoors! 

So, actually, despite the gloomy start to this post, I want to stress that life operates in cycles, and I’m really trying to remind myself of that when I feel the doom and gloom set in. You know the feeling of seeing wildflowers bloom after a long and dreary winter? Unlocking the door to your apartment after a day of working? Your dog greeting you after a whole stretch of time without him? These are great metaphors and reflections of the ups and downs of life. There is beauty in suffering. Beauty in the return. Some of my most important growth has been because of life’s darkest periods.  

And so, in honor of the long weekend, I would love it if everyone who read this allowed themselves the time to properly relax. And, clearly, judging by the introductory message of this post, I’m not taking my own advice to heart. I’m realizing, though, that this is because I’m beating myself up for not operating at the same energy levels as I was at the beginning of the year. I cannot be that person though! I’ve lived an entire year — and that’s tiring! 

True relaxation and recharging is a necessity that bleeds into so many aspects of life; most importantly, its overall quality. If you’re tired, you’re suddenly forgetful, irritable, and arguing with everyone. You don’t know left from right and think your life is coming to an end. But I PROMISE you it’s not. You’re going to be okay! You just need to sleep girlie! And even in moments where you’re not sleeping, instead telling yourself you’re just going to take a moment and sit there and take some time to yourself, but then you end up spending the entire time stressing…that’s not relaxation!

Seriously, our bodies are going through so much. Life is tough. It’s exhausting. It’s repetitive; it’s frustrating; it’s overwhelming. I’m not telling you to be okay with all of these qualities of it, either! Feel it all!

But remember that life is also gorgeous. After you’ve gotten a full night’s sleep.

Enjoy the long weekend!

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