Victor

I'm fresh off the Heart 2 Heart Women's Retreat, and one of the things that stuck with me the most was that, "we have to choose to be a victor instead of the victim." A lot of us have been through unspeakable things. We have endured hardships at the hands of family and loved ones, and we just grin and bear it. As women, we carry the world on our shoulders. We don't take the time to take of ourselves. We just keep it moving, to our own detriment. We have got to do better. How? We have to learn how to process our pain. For some of us, that might mean seeking professional help. For others, that might mean taking the time to acknowledge the pain, and releasing it. I encourage you all to make the first steps from being a victim to a victor. It will ultimately make you better instead of bitter.

Relax

One of the first things I was told in premarital counseling was "take time to take of you." Imagine my surprise. I thought marriage was all about turning my "me, myself, and I's" into "we, us, and ours." Don't get me wrong, it is definitely about that too, but our counselors wanted to stress the importance of self-care. If you do not take the time to take care of yourself, you are no good for anyone else. So, you need to relax. You need to go to the gym. You need that time in the barbershop or the nail salon. You need that girl's trip. You need that fishing trip. All of your responsibilities will still be there waiting on you. The laundry pile will be waiting, and the to-do list might be a bit a longer. Relax. Take a moment. Breathe. Chill. It's ok. I promise.