I have only finished three weeks of summer and I am stressed. Who let me work 40 hours a week and take 2 summer classes? Apparently optimistic April Emma was feeling like a superwoman. Now, don't get me wrong, I love my job. I love working 40 hours and doing what I absolutely love. The classes? Not so much. Those are the reason I cannot sleep at night and have oddly been at peace with turning assignments in late. Side note: when did summers become stressful instead of a break? Is this what it finally means to be an adult?

However, with all of these things (well okay, only 3 but it feels like a lot), I have been learning that it is extremely important to stop and take some time for yourself.

What does that look like? Sometimes, you just have to sleep. Take an L and try again tomorrow. Or, go for a nature walk. Or, watch that one episode of your favorite tv show that's been on Hulu for weeks and you're super behind because of your schedule. Or, try a new workout class. You can also practice some mindful meditation or try painting a picture that sparks joy. There are so many things. The most important part is that you enjoy them.

I don't think that we should ever become too busy where we forget about ourselves. I've found myself doing that lately, and I need to learn how to let myself have some downtime. And you know what that's actually going to look like? I'm going to spend some mega time with Jesus. It's been a hot minute because of life, but at the end of the day, He's more important than a math class.

Summer 2019, you might be stressing me out to the max, but I'm going to take my summer back one period of downtime at a time.