Staying Connected to Self
These days, it seems so easy to get caught in the routine of life, the responsibilities, the interactions, the balance, and the constant juggling of it all. We move from one thing to the next, trying to keep everything going. Then, when we finally get a moment to ourselves, we realize how much time has passed. Before we know it, it’s time to wake up and start the cycle all over again.
Sometimes I wonder why we run so much on autopilot. Why do we live by the hands of a clock that never really seems to be on our side?
For many of us, myself included, there is no completely stopping the machine. Life is going to keep moving. There are responsibilities that still need our attention, people who depend on us, goals we want to reach, and things that simply have to get done.
But I’ve been thinking about something: if we can push ourselves so hard to keep everything else moving forward, we also have to learn to love ourselves enough to make room for ourselves within it.
Put me on the list.
We make lists for everything. Appointments. Work. Family. Deadlines. Errands. Responsibilities. The things we need to do today and the things we are already thinking about for tomorrow.
But where are we on that list?
What am I going to do today to make sure I stay connected to myself?
Sometimes that may mean taking a few minutes to recognize what I’m feeling instead of pushing the emotion aside. It may mean regulating myself before moving on to the next thing. It may simply mean checking in and asking, How am I doing today?
If my day is going amazingly, how can I slow down long enough to actually enjoy it?
And if my day feels like it’s falling apart, what can I do to begin putting it back together?
Staying connected to ourselves doesn’t always require some major break from life. Sometimes it is found in the smallest moments—a few quiet minutes, a deep breath, stepping away from the noise, sitting with our thoughts, or simply allowing ourselves to be present without immediately thinking about what needs to happen next.
Whether we are constantly showing up for others or simply trying to become the best versions of ourselves, we have to recharge our minds and bodies. We cannot expect ourselves to continuously operate at full capacity without giving something back to ourselves.
This is something I continue to work on too: finding those quick moments of peace, being present, and remembering that taking care of myself does not have to wait until everything else is finished.
Because the truth is, everything may never be finished.
There will probably always be another task, another responsibility, another reason to keep moving.
So maybe staying connected to self isn’t about stopping life.
Maybe it’s about learning how to find ourselves within it.
And sometimes, that begins with one simple reminder:
Put yourself on the list, too.
CherXoxo
