Hi! I hope that you had an amazing weekend and that you were able to unwind a bit. Here in Raleigh it has been cold and dreary so my weekend consisted of cozy comfy fits + decompressing in my space. If you have been following me for a while then you know that my idea of unwinding looks a lot different these days. Old school CK was completely consumed by my work; so much so that I just kind of stopped taking care of myself in other aspects. Think: overworked, fatigued and frustrated. I was struggling to understand why living my dream was actually so exhausting. I’m not sure what exactly happened- I don’t know if I unconsciously read something or what, all that I know is I woke up one day and decided to change up my life as I knew it. I know that sounds pretty ridiculous but that’s how it happened. I woke up one morning around 11am, looked at dozens of notifications on my phone, shuffled over to my coffee machine and fell into my daily pattern. Brew coffee, head back to bed, drink said cup of coffee, scroll through social media, check my emails, get back on social media; before I knew it I looked up and my clock said 1:30pm. My heart immediately sank as my anxiety crept in to remind me of all of the work that I had to get done and all of the time that I had wasted thus far. I needed something different. I needed some kind of change. I needed … to get outside. So, I grabbed some old tennis shoes and took off outside.
That decision to go for a walk drastically changed my entire life. I didn’t even really know what my plan was and I arrived back home some hours later, feeling surprisingly refreshed. That was it. That was all it took for me to change the entire relationship I had with myself. I started trying to wake up earlier and earlier which translated to me going to bed much earlier than I was used to. I began walking two miles a day… then five … then ten. My energy skyrocketed and I even managed to find a few friends to accompany me, which in turn strengthened my relationships with them. I started opting for kombucha instead of wine and skipping the sour cream on my Chipotle order. The next thing I knew, an entire month had passed and I felt like a completely different person. My body moved differently and my mindset shifted; I was falling in love with slowing down and showing myself love and acceptance.
CK, good for you but why do I care? Good point! I’m sharing this with you to hopefully inspire you, just a bit. My transformation actually led me to create a self-care collection, which was one of the funnest projects I have ever completed. I am sharing this to remind you to speak kindly to yourself, to love yourself the same way you do those around you. I am sharing this to encourage you to do something extraordinary for yourself today and then again tomorrow. I am sharing this because this platform has allotted me so many wonderful opportunities but I also know the stress that comes with that as well. I’m sharing this to remind you that I am an artist, a confidante, a loving friend and a human being. Please do not ever let this virtual space keep you from reaching out to me- I want to hear about your goals and ambitions. I want to talk about your favorite self-care rituals and celebrate your accomplishments. I have been and will always be right here for you, in any capacity you may need.
Linking my walking playlist below: