Faith

Take Time to Slow Down and Broken Big Toes

/ caseylmatzke / Leave a comment

I am a firm believer in that God/the Universe/whatever you believe in has a way of letting you know when it is time to slow down. Sometimes, this can be in subtle hints. Sometimes, it has to hit us directly and if you are like me, it has to physically hit you. Meaning, I have to get really sick or have a bodily injury.

This time it was a bodily injury, have you ever broken a big toe before? Talk about painful! Now, I have been injured before and been through painful events. Broken legs, line drives off knee caps, a broken foot, a collapsed lung, heck I even gave birth without my epidural working, but this was a whole a new level of pain. I think the pain was so bad because it would not stop. All of my other injuries, I was able to get the pain to stop, not this one.

For the first 24 hours, all it did was throb and I mean painfully throb. There was no pain medication that could make it stop. Now that I am about to enter the 36 – 48 hour stage, the pain has slowed down, thankfully. It is just stiff, but if I stand for too long, the throbbing starts.

Looking back, it is kind of funny how this whole thing happened. Me, trying to be the helpful person I am, help load plywood for another lady. Well, needless to say it did not work out well for me. But I am also looking at it from a different perspective. For the month of December, I was planning on doing a deep internal dive. Really focus on my goals, dreams, the person I want to be, and block out all of the distractions. I was on the fence about how to make this happen. On the fence about when to start or if I should even do it. Luckily for me, I now have a few days off and can start the deep dive process.

Bad and unfortunate things are going to happen. That is a part of life. It is how you look at them that determines the outcome. I could be really miserable at home, limping around for the next 2-4 weeks unhappy. Or I can be thankful that it was only a big toe. Thankful for the reminder to slow down. Thankful for the reminder that self-care and self-reflection is important. Next time something not so glamorous happens to you, remember it could always be worse and find the blessings it in.

As always, share some love, we could all use a little more love.
XOXOXO
Casey

Favorite Places and Mental Reset Days

/ caseylmatzke / Leave a comment

The older I get and the more I grow as a person, I continue to see and realize how important mental health is. Sometimes you just need a time out. A mental health day to reset. Never be afraid to take these days for yourself. Whether you are married, a parent, a single parent, or living your best life, these days are essential. No matter what is going on, you have to take care of yourself first before you can take care of anyone else. 

I was able to have a reset this past weekend. I went to one of my favorite places and put my toes in the sand. I turned on my favorite music and watched the waves crash onto the shore. I blocked out all the thoughts and really just tried to get in tune with my surroundings. The way the sand felt between my toes, the sounds of the waves, the feel of the ocean, the open sky, even the seagulls that really wanted some of my Cheez-its. It was an opportunity for me to know and understand that sometimes, you just have to let things go and see what happens. 

The only downfall of having a reset day, is that when you come back home, all the things you left are still there. Hopefully, your reset can put a new perspective on things and you are able to find a new way to navigate them. For me, the last two weeks, I have been having trouble sleeping. Waking up in the middle of the night and having my mind just run 100 miles an hour. Stress and anxiety can do that to you. While my reset helped some, if you are unable to get a way, here are some tips that can help with sleeping through the night

  • Technology – turn it off and don’t use it before bed 
  • Regular exercise 
  • Meditate prior to bed
  • Create a calming environment
  • Journal – getting all those thoughts out and down on paper 
  • Be sure to take time to unwind
  • Read

Don’t forget, taking care of yourself is one of the most important things you can do for yourself. You only get one life, make it a happy one. 

As always share some love, we could all use a little more love. 

XOXOXO

Casey

When Life Smacks You in the Face … Laugh

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Life can be a wild ride. You can get thrown curve balls. You can get hit smack in the face, (I have plenty of times!) You can think you have all the plans, dreams, and goals mapped out, while God says watch this and shakes it all up. 2022 has been that kind of year for me. The last few months have really stopped me in my tracks.

When this happens for me, I get hit with the – “Is this what I am really supposed to be doing?” “Is it really supposed to be this hard?” “What if this isn’t the right path for me?”

One thing I have learned, is that plans, dreams, and goals can blow up in a single instant. Everything that you thought was going to happen, won’t anymore. Everything that you had been working for, it wasn’t meant to be. Coming to the realization that no matter how much you plan, it doesn’t always work in your favor is a tough pill to swallow. While, it may seem like everything is crashing down, know, there is beauty in everything.

There is something peaceful about not being tied to 10 year plans. There is excitement about waking up and just focusing on the day. Working to be just a little bit better than you were yesterday. There is simplicity in just working on your next step and not the five steps after it. There is curiosity in stepping out and trying something new. There is bravery in being open to all the amazing things that can come your way, once you open your doors.

A conversation with a customer sat with me. “There is never a bad day, there are only bad moments in the day.” While everything may seem like it is crashing down or falling apart, maybe it was supposed to happen that way. Maybe, there are just bad moments in your life. Maybe just maybe, they happened for a reason. To show you another side, one you never knew you had.

Your perspective on things matters. More than you know. This, I have learned the hard way. Embrace the changes that are coming. Know that God, the universe, whatever you believe, has got your back. Pray, meditate, burn sage, sing, dance, or write, whatever you need to do to get your happy back. Put a big smile on your face and know that amazing things are coming your way. Most of all laugh. Not just a chuckle, the deep belly laughs. Those remind you that in all the chaos, life is still good. Shout out to my kiddo who reminds me to laugh and to never stop believing in the unexpected.

As always share some love, we could all use a little more love

XOXOXO

Casey