Hi everyone! I hope you had a wonderful weekend! I just returned from 3 days away in Paris with my husband and it was a wonderful treat. It feels like a great time to dive into what I planned for on the creativity side of the knitalong. I am really feeling the benefits of taking time off.

Today I would love to talk a little bit about the importance of making time for ourselves and following our intuition. About 2 years ago now, when my first son was one and I was pregnant with my second, I started to wake up early. I had read a book called the Miracle Morning, that gave me the idea. That book doesn't resonate with me too much anymore but the habit stuck and it truly has changed everything. I now make a point to get myself to bed by 9:30/10 so that waking up at 5 is no problem. For about the first hour and a half of the day, I take time to just feel relaxed and grateful. I usually meditate, which I dive deep into in this podcast episode. I know I’m extreme on this front, my meditation time usually lasts 45 minutes, a lot I know. I feel so peaceful at the end that I’m reminded constantly that no matter what craziness is going on – at work, with my family, in the world, my inner being always feels peaceful and Ok. Yup, I’m a big inner being person, ha – call it whatever you want to call it, god, source, intuition, I am constantly reminded through meditation that no matter what is going on, I am at peace, all is well and that I have so much to be grateful for. For me (and I know this isn’t for everyone!) it’s a wonderful way to start the day. After that, I get my coffee and write for a little while on all the things I appreciate and am grateful for in my life. I know it's a little cheesy but this puts me into the best mood. The funny thing is that it’s usually the really small things that seem to make me happiest, cuddling with both boys while I read to them, coffee first thing in the morning, flowers blooming, my friends at the coffee shop where I work at all the time. This time helps me realize that I have so much to be grateful for and happy about and to not sweat the small stuff, or really anything too much – to let it go.  

I'm not suggesting that you wake up at 5, but is there a way to find a little time just for yourself in your day? Maybe a walk, maybe time to journal, maybe it's knitting, maybe winding down alone in the evening. As a mom of 2, I often feel like I have no time for myself but waking up and having that hour or so first thing in the morning feels like such a luxury and it's so relaxing. I feel like I am a better mom, wife and friend when I have those moments to myself. I just love starting the day that way! I'd love to hear about how you make time for yourself - even if it's tiny increments and what your practices are. I definitely count creative work here too - my nights knitting are some of the best form of relaxation/meditation around!

There's one interview that had a big impact on the way I see this as well - Elizabeth Gilbert's interview with Glennon Doyle for her Magic Lessons Podcast. Listen here.  It's super funny and rings so true. Glennon talks about having an hour of her own - that's all she needed to launch her blog which became hugely popular. I love the idea of an hour of your own - we may not have a room but we can all find an hour I think. 

In this interview Glennon also gives some advice along these lines - I learned to just listen to myself and that's it. My feeling is that she's talking about our intuition (or call it whatever you like!) here. It's that feeling in our gut or our hearts where we just know or feel and inclination towards something that we can't totally explain. I've started to tune into my own intuition more and use this gut feeling to make more decisions in my life. I don't ask others for as much business or parenting advice. I've let go of what other people think I should do and I am trying my best to just listen to me. It ties into that authenticity idea I brought up through that Brene quote last week too. I've found that I have the best answers for myself. If I fail, it's still a win because I learn and grow. 

I first came across this idea on the Jess Lively podcast (which is a little woo woo for some people - of course I love it!) Here is a link to a blog/podcast she made about how she writes to her intuition. It's beautiful. I also like to do this when I'm unsure about a big decision or am feeling badly but I don’t do it enough. Part of it is just slowing down to listen and not rushing so much. 

OK so what I would love to know is, what's your relationship with your own intuition like? Do you listen to it or do others play a bigger role in how you make decisions for yourself? Is this idea totally crazy and out there for you?! It was for me about 6 months ago, so I get it! Also, how do you make time for yourself to fill your own cup up? Let me know what you think in the comments below or in our FB group. As always, thanks for reading guys! 

Hugs ~ Amy