Love, you!

I recently traveled to Nova Scotia. I’ve been all around the world, yet somehow, it took me thirty-four years to finally explore my own country. And let me tell you—Canada is breathtaking. So earthy, so green, so alive. It felt like a deep breath of fresh air, like a much-needed pause from the noise in my head.

Minus traumatizing my poor dog with the fifteen-hour drive, he did survive, but he slept for two straight days when we got back.

Travel has always been my reset button. Staring at the ocean, driving through long scenic routes, walking through unfamiliar streets, I use those moments to think. To reflect. To remind myself of the bigger picture. There are so many landscapes, so many people, all with different stories, different struggles. And yet, at the core, we all have the same goal: happiness.

But sometimes, happiness feels far away. Especially in a world that seems to be drowning in depression, anxiety, discrimination, violence. It’s overwhelming, isn’t it? And we get so caught up in the chaos, so wrapped up in our own stress, that we forget something important, life is meant to be lived. It’s meant to be enjoyed. But how often do we put ourselves last? How often do we forget to nurture the things that make us us?

Too often.

For me, it has been a long time since I felt like myself. Stuck in a loop of stress and overthinking. I’ve lost that fun, spontaneous, carefree version of me. I started dwelling on the what ifs, the coulda, woulda, shouldas, the unknowns of the future. And honestly? It changed me. I became someone I didn’t recognize, agitated, distant, not myself. I turned into someone who exhausted me, let alone the people around me.

And when you get lost in your own head for too long, you start to wonder: Will I ever get back to who I used to be? The answer? Yes. But it takes time. And I’m not there yet, but I will be.

I used to be terrified that I’d lose people because of it. That they’d walk away when I wasn’t the best version of myself. But you know what I’ve realized? If people really love you, they’ll stay. They’ll weather the storm with you. They’ll see past your worst days because they know the real you is still in there, fighting to come back.

And the biggest lesson of all? You have to love and take care of yourself before you can fully show up for anyone else. If you’ve lost yourself along the way, don’t be ashamed of it. Life is a journey of losing and finding ourselves, over and over again. Every challenge, every setback, every dark phase, it’s shaping us. Making us stronger. Teaching us lessons we don’t even realize we need.

And let me tell you, I’m feeling stronger now.

One day, I just decided, I couldn’t live in my head anymore. Because that’s not who I am. I love me. I don’t ever want to lose her again.

I can’t pinpoint exactly how it happened. Maybe it was the anxiety creeping in, the weight of expectations, the frustration of feeling stuck, my environment. And then that feeling of being stuck made it even worse, like a cycle I couldn’t break. The people around me had always admired how content, carefree, and positive I was. I used to be the one making people laugh when things got hard, the one pushing them to fight for what they deserved, the one who didn’t overthink everything. And then, for a while, I wasn’t that person anymore.

But here’s the thing: even when you lose yourself, you can always come back.

So if you’re in a rut, if you’re feeling like a version of yourself that you don’t recognize, you can pull yourself out of it. There is always a chance for a new beginning. Always. When you’re in the dark, fight like hell to find the light. Your light. And if you can’t find it on your own, talk to someone. A friend. A therapist. Someone who sees you, even when you can’t see yourself.

You will find your way back.

And if you need a little laugh while you do, let me leave you with this, Chris Pratt’s “9 Rules to Live By” from his speech at the MTV Movie Awards. If nothing else, it’ll make you smile:

1. Breathe. If you don’t, you will suffocate.

2. You have a soul. Be careful with it.

3. Don’t be a turd. If you are strong, be a protector. If you are smart, be a humble influencer. Strength and intelligence can be weapons, so do not wield them against the weak. That makes you a bully. Be bigger than that.

4. When giving a dog medicine, put the medicine in a little piece of hamburger and they won’t even know they’re eating medicine. (I use cheese, it really works!)

5. It doesn’t matter what it is. Earn it. A good deed. Reaching out to someone in pain. Being of service. It feels good and it’s good for your soul.

6. God is real. God loves you. God wants the best for you. Believe that.

7. If you have to poop at a party, but you’re embarrassed because you’re going to stink up the bathroom, just do what I do. Lock the door, sit down, get all the pee out first. And then, once all the pee is done, poop, flush, boom! You minimize the amount of time the poop’s touching the air. Because if you poop first, it takes you longer to pee and then you’re peeing on top of it, stirring up the poop particles, creating a cloud, and then—boom—everyone at the party knows you pooped. Just trust me, it’s science. (Haha, no comment.)

8. Learn to pray. It’s easy, and it is so good for your soul.

9. Nobody is perfect. People will tell you that you are perfect just the way you are. You are not. You are imperfect. You always will be. But there is a powerful force that designed you that way, and if you are willing to accept that, you will have grace. And grace is a gift. Do not forget that. Don’t take it for granted.

Now, I know not all of those are deep and spiritual, but you have to love the mix of wisdom and humor. And honestly? That’s the point.

Embrace yourself. Love yourself. Never let life’s stress, your own negative thoughts, or anyone else’s actions change you. There is only one you.

So don’t lose yourself. And love yourself more than anyone else ever could.

Peace, Love & be easy on yourself xoxo