September 2

Here's to pacing yourself through September, one day at a time. Here's to recognizing that you don't have to figure it all out at once before you can breathe deeply, right here. By learning how to inhale and exhale in this moment, you are creating space. Even if it's just one breath cycle that is slightly more mindful than the previous one, that's progress in learning how to be present.

Be kind to yourself when you don't feel like you've been able to pace yourself perfectly. Be kind to yourself when there are moments where you feel like you're not making the progress you thought you would. Because even then, with every inhale and exhale, you are completing a breath cycle. Progress doesn't have to be a linear climb up a mountain.

You're allowed to let progress feel circular, like the cycle of a breath, moving through different seasons. Think of it like a leisurely stroll through a garden lined with winding paths. These paths remind you that the way you are learning to be present matters. In that kind of space, it's okay if you keep circling back to the sunflowers or the butterflies floating in the early morning light. In that kind of space, it's okay to take your time. Not every day will feel like like this, but we are allowed to trust that we are worthy of that kind of space. We are worthy of the kind of space where there is less pressure and more room to pace ourselves through things in a mindful way.

So even if every day doesn't look like that, I hope you know it's okay to sow seeds of being present right here. Take a deep breath in this very moment and trust: that is a part of a larger picture of you creating more space in this life, and may there be more to come.

Any moment spent taking deeper breaths and pacing yourself as you learn to be present here is valuable as you prepare for the journey ahead.