A Renaissance Year

As my birthday approached this year, I found myself feeling very pensive and reflective. I never had the "I can't believe I'm turning 30" crisis, so when I started having a bit of a meltdown about turning 35, I was caught off guard. As the summer came to a close this year, I found myself in a bit of a dark place. I think all the events of the year had started to take their toll on me. Combining that with the fact that I have seriously neglected my own physical, spiritual and emotional well being in the midst of all the chaos left me treading the murky waters of self-pity, sadness and a discontented heart. Definitely not a place I wanted to be for long.

In the weeks leading up to my birthday, I felt like I was at a Y in the road. I could continue down the same path I was on or I could chose something different. In spite of the fact that we have suffered loss, and been through the stress of a move and a chronically ill child, we have been blessed beyond measure as well. We are finally living in a home we love, where we have all the space we need, our kids are happy and mostly healthy and John and I both have jobs we love and allow us to be very flexible and to be our children's primary caregivers. And, above all else, I serve a big God who loves me and cares for me no matter what.

So, I chose to do something different this year. I am choosing to do some things that are very important to my heart like growing in my relationship with Christ, finding new and simple ways to manage life and to take care of my body by changing my eating and exercising. Whoa! One might say, but in all reality, I am starting off with very small steps in each of these areas to make sure that I can manage for the long haul.

My hope and prayer is that as I intentionally take time to take care of me, Julie, I will in turn be a better wife to my husband, mama to my boys, friend to my friends and therapist to my patients. I can't do those things well when Julie is not ok. And, let me just add, I am incredibly grateful that I am in a place in life where I CAN do these things.

After processing all of my emotions and beginning to make changes, I came to the conclusion that there is no reason that 35 can't be my best year yet!