Well, here I am…back from an unplanned break from blogging…
THE STORY
…Perhaps you missed me, or perhaps I overestimate my internet importance and you didn’t even notice that I was gone. 🙂 In any case, I took a much needed break for about a week although it wasn’t necessarily by choice. Here’s the thing, due to everything that was going on I should have taken a break, but due to my touch of OCD, I just could not concede defeat to the lack of hours available in each day.
But the universe, fate, God, my personal unicorn spirit guide…or whatever private belief system that you subscribe to, made me take a break. Early last week I was hit with the mother of all cold/flu viruses. It started in my face, eventually made it’s way to my chest and in a stunning kick a girl while she’s down move, it invaded my um, intestinal system, to put it delicately. I had a deep hacking cough that sounded decidedly plague-like and was so intense that I ended up pulling a muscle in my back from coughing. Probably TMI, but I wanted you to get the full experience…ya, I’m thoughtful like that. By the end of the week I had no other alternative but to call off work which is something that I never, as in ever, do. Needless to say, blogging was really not on my list of things to do at that point.
Here’s the thing though, even though I was medicated to the gills (and at one point coated in Vick’s on the front and Icy Hot on the back) and basically miserable, I truly needed that time alone in the quiet of my home to do nothing other than rest and recoup. I didn’t worry about what was happening in my classroom (which for me, is huge), I didn’t worry about the blog, writing IEP’s , cleaning the house or cooking dinner. My only concern was making sure that my temperature control foot stayed safely untangled from the blankets that I was buried under. And do you know what? I needed that. I needed some time to just mentally shut down, relax and sleep.
Perhaps had I done the smart thing, and taken a break on my own when I knew that I needed one, without the interference of my unicorn spirit guide, maybe I could have taken an enjoyable mental break minus the ass-kicking illness. Now there’s a novel idea. So here’s my little nugget of advice to you even though I know that most of you already know better…take time for yourself. No, I don’t mean that few minutes of quiet that you grab at 5 a.m. with your morning coffee. That time is important too, but what I’m talking about is taking a big ol’ chunk of time for yourself whenever you start to feel overwhelmed. I realize that is not realistic on an everyday basis. I’m talking about those periods in our lives where there is simply too much going on at one time, those periods where you are quite simply overwhelmed.
There is nothing wrong with saying that you need a break and then actually taking one for a few days or so. Needing a break is not an admission of laziness or a sign of weakness. Quite the opposite actually. I think it shows great strength to admit when you’ve reached a point where you just need to step back for awhile. There’s nothing wrong with sitting on the sidelines and allowing others to pick up the slack for you. There’s nothing wrong with giving up control for a little while when in the long run you’ll come back stronger than before. Believe it or not the housework will still get done (and if it doesn’t, so what?), dinner will still get cooked, your place of employment will still continue to function, and yes…the internet will still exist without you.
THE OUTFIT
Between the velvet maxi dress and the kimono I styled as a dress, my last few posts were a little, shall we say “dressy” in comparison to my usual look. With that in mind, I knew my next post had to be casual, more every day “me”. And what’s more my personal casual style than a boho top, distressed boyfriend jeans and my slouchy Birkenstock boots? Nothing, unless it involves denim shorts I suppose.
I picked up this red boho top at Target a year or so ago and I haven’t worn it for ages. It was perfect the day I wore it here because it was one of those in between not sure if it’s Summer or Fall days. It’s lightweight, but the longer sleeves provided more coverage and the long sweater vest was the perfect light top layer for the touch of breeziness in the air. On those casual days that I’m dressing for me and not dress down day at work, you’ll always find me in some iteration of distressed denim. Most typically it’s of the boyfriend jeans variety. The slouchy boots, minus socks, were the perfect finishing touch for a not quite warm not quite cool day.
THE TIP
Think lighter layers on those in between seasons days. A cardigan might be too much over a top with long sleeves so a sweater vest is perfect. You can wear your ankle boots on warmer days too, just lose the warm socks and you’re good to go.
THE LINK UPS
Check out the weekly link ups I participate in for even more fashion and style ideas…
Top: Target (Similar); Jeans; GAP; Boots: Birkenstock via 6pm.com; Vest: JCPenney (Similar); Clutch: Similar
