self-care & Taking breaks

Self care is something I've talked about a lot on my social media accounts, and by all accounts you would think I was somewhat of an expert on it. On taking breaks and allowing my body and mind to rest when it's needed. But no one is perfect. 
Taking a break and putting yourself first is a concept that I am still learning to apply to my own life on a near constant daily basis. Whether it's taking a night off from writing, taking a vacation, not pushing myself as hard in my day job, the list goes on and on. For all intents and purposes, all I can really offer at times like this is to let you all know that putting yourself first can be one of the hardest of choices. Sure it seems simple to have a night off here and there, but when it really comes down to it, we still tend to get lost in the shuffle that is our lives. We get swept up in the hustle of work and bills, responsibilities and deadlines, promised and obligations, and it can all pile onto us one after another until one day it's no longer us just going about our lives. 
I'll be candid and say that despite my having recently taken a vacation and gotten the rest I truly needed, once I got back to the daily grind I hit work with a vengeance. Beating expectations and old personal records, trying to prove that I was energized and back better than ever. Now, even I can't honestly say what possessed me to treat my body this way, to push myself to the point that one day the room spun and I could barely walk straight, but there I was. Barely even 30 and experiencing stress induced vertigo is not something I ever wanted to achieve when it came to my work ethic. Some of you may have noticed my being slightly more absent on social media the past few days and that was entirely due to my taking time for myself - completely - and getting the rest I needed (once again) because I was reckless and I was so near a burnout I could taste it. 
I am pleased to say that after a few days away from work, much needed workouts to tire out my body more effectively, and several nights of solid sleep helped immensely! I will, however, be honest and say that I will not be making the same mistakes again. 
I sometimes have to remind myself that despite my work ethic - which many have praised me on - I am not a machine. I am not someone who can survive without a break or a decent nights sleep and I can definitely not push myself to my limits just to prove something that, honestly, I didn't need to. Self-care & taking a break is a concept that is ever changing. Especially now that I have two full-time jobs, I truly need to recognize that more than ever. Learning to prioritize my time and especially my own health (mentally and otherwise) because doing so will allow me to continue to live out this dream of writing stories for you all! And that is something I refuse to give up on anytime soon, so I refuse to give up on myself in the process. 
I hope some of you can take away something from what I've had to share this month and I truly hope you all prioritize yourselves going forward.

All the best,
Céline 
​xo