Why. You.

If you're loving 2020 and everything is going smoothly, this may not be the article for you. But....give it a read as sometime in your life you may just feel like you need a little pick me up and put me back together kind of chat with a friend and that's exactly what this is. For the rest of us who feel like we are stuck on a carnival ride and we just want to get off and eat some mini donuts but instead we are spinning in circles and feel like we are moments away from a little vomit scene...go grab a cup of your favorite beverage and let's talk. 

First of all. How are you really friend? Not "fine" or "doing okay" but seriously? Take a sip of whatever is in your cup (if it's 7am and it's vodka, no judgment - we are that good of friends!), take a deep breath, and spill it! Here's the tissues. Let it all out.

Now that that's out of the way, dry those tears and take another sip (or refill that cup). No matter what it is you're feeling, it's okay and you're okay - actually, you are awesome! You are navigating terrain no one has every seen before and you are doing it day after day. And now I want to know why? Really, why are you doing what you are doing?

Often times when faced with a difficult situation we break our lives down into small parts. I just need to make the coffee and pay the bills. I just need to get to work. I need groceries. Let's say you are a teacher; you're trying to navigate hand sanitizer, distance learners, masks, google meets, loom thingies, etc... but WHY? We all need to get back to our why and only YOU really know what that WHY is. In our example of teaching, it's likely you had a teacher who inspired you and you decided to be a teacher because you wanted to change lives, inspire children, and make a difference in the world. When we are struggling day to day we need to get back to our WHY. So let me ask you again - What's your WHY?

Why are you eating healthy? 

Why are you writing your memoir?

Why did you want to be a nurse, a farmer, a firefighter?

Doesn't it feel good to get back to the real reason you're making that coffee this morning? The real reason you are putting one foot in front of another. The reason you are driving to work.

Without our WHY, we are going through the motions and since we are human and not a machine with well oiled parts, we need more than just momentum to keep us on the right path. 

Let's circle back to the beginning of our chat. Now that we have discussed how you are really doing, and why you're doing what you are doing, let's talk more about YOU!

You've been working really hard to take care of everyone around you. I see you. I see you making small sacrifices, large sacrifices, and holding it all together. I know you cry in the shower and smile when anyone is around. I know you worry about what tomorrow brings. What are you going to do for YOU today? You can't keep taking care of everyone else if you aren't taking care of YOU. You know that and I know that, but there's only so many hours in the day, right? Everyone says "self care" but you're taking care of so many things already it seems like an unattainable goal. I'm not going to recommend getting a manicure or taking a bath or anything that is going to take time away from your day. 

I just want you to make one small change. When YOU look in the mirror today (this can be at home, at work, in the rear view mirror while bucking up to chase the kiddos somewhere, etc...) I want you to smile at that beautiful reflection and say: YOU are Amazing! Say it to yourself, say it out loud, say it once a day, then twice, and keep doing it. 

There's so much noise in our world right now. YOU need to hear your own voice loud and clear. I don't know when we are getting off this carnival ride and I don't even know if there will be mini donuts when we do, but I know you have a few minutes every day to remember WHY you are here and hear loud and clear how amazing YOU are! You matter. 

Now let's hug it out and finish our beverages and get ready to tackle whatever life throws at us!

I WANT to hear from YOU!

What's your WHY? How are you taking care of YOU?

Drop a note and let us know!

Hugs,
~Crystal

and now...a little more about me...

Shown from left to right:
Delphine riding Honey
Mr. Otto holding Eudora
Crystal riding Marv.
Thank you Forward Farm, LLC 

Crystal is the office manager, council secretary, financial secretary, and musician at her church, birth
mother, Auntie, babywearing mama, business owner, active journaler, writer and blogger, Blog Tour Manager with WOW! Women on Writing, Press Corp teammate for the DairyGirl Network, Unicorn Mom Ambassador, as well as a dairy farmer. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband and their five youngest children, two dogs, four little piggies, a handful of cats and kittens, horses Darlin' and  Miss Maggie May, and over 250 Holsteins.

And now she runs a virtual classroom for her children who are distance learners! 

You can find Crystal milking cows, riding horses, and the occasional unicorn (not at the same time), taking the ordinary and giving it a little extra (making it extraordinary), blogging and reviewing books here, and at her own blog - Crystal is dedicated to turning life's lemons into lemonade and she has never (not once) been accused of being normal!