Time to Slow down

Last night our daughter Addie was invited to go on a hike with some friends and their moms. I said she could go, as I had planned on cleaning and doing yard work. I wanted to go, but didn't want to speak up to impose on the already made plans.
Whenever Wes is out of town I manage to hide myself in our home waiting for him to get back home.

Last year when he went to Africa, it was a few months after his best friend's passing. Since he was in Africa and there wasn't much communication...my mind went to very dark and twisted lands. I promised myself after that trip, that no matter what I was going to make sure I kept busy and to not let my mind wander to a scary world.

Our son is now working late nights and our daughter has a group of friends she hangs out with very consistently...which means a LOT of time alone. One of the new books I am reading talks about how when you are in an unsafe mindset, you start to isolate yourself from others. And find any reason not to do something great for yourself...like hang out with friends and be social.

I woke up this morning and quickly realized I needed to speak up and ask if I could go on the hike this morning. I texted the moms and got up to get ready to go.

This hike was NOT for the faint of heart, it was an eight mile hike round trip (the online guide said 4 miles round trip...) we were surrounded by dark green trees and a passing river for our whole hike..it was beautiful, and exactly what I needed.

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Another thing the author mentions in her book is values, and recognizing what things align your mind and body. And when you know your values you can quickly recognize if you are feeling off, what values you aren't honoring. Today, as I pushed through this long hike I started to notice a shift in my mind. I was feeling alive. I noted how I felt and kept going along.

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I realized something huge today, I value physical activity...I value nature...I value being calm and taking time to slow down. I have not really been balancing my values very well...which makes sense why everything around me feels like it is crashing down. I am myself when I take time to do these things...and NOW I know what things I look for to understand where I am out of alignment.

We got to the top, to the very incredible hot pots (which some were MELT your skin off hot) and some spots were crisp from the runoff from the snow. It was an incredible place to sit and reflect.

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Most of all it was the best place to take time to slow down!! My challenge to you all who read this post is to take some time to think about things you value for yourself (not the traditional "my family" "my friends"....) but really what makes you feel like YOU and write it down. Take time to slow your thoughts and focus on what YOU need to feel like yourself.

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All photos were taken with my personal cell phone or that of one of the other mom's :)

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