Just got out of the hospital

We’re nearly three months into the New Year, which means it’s time to do a self-care check-in! As we head into this new season, I want to send you this quick reminder to slow down and remember to nurture your heart. I just checked out of a week’s stay at the hospital. Everything is all good, but I’m super happy to be back at home and resting. I had developed some weird form of non-infectious pneumonia that was causing me to experience shortness of breath. While I was out, I had to cancel two speaking gigs and miss our first ever Galentine’s Self-Care Mixer at the tgin Beauty Lab. I was more than a little bummed and had that twinge of guilt like I was letting the team down, but crazily enough as I sat in the hospital bed, doing nothing but drinking apple juice and eating saltines, I said hey this actually feels kind of good.

 

After eight straight days of being told by hospital staff that you can likely go home tomorrow, only to have that change, I gradually gave up my plans of escape and accepted my fate. I made the decision to look at the good side of things, sat back, and started to enjoy having my nurses fluff my pillows, bring me warm blankets, and ask me if I needed anything. By the time I was discharged, I had developed a weird form of Stockholm syndrome that had me questioning whether I wanted to leave my lovely captors and newfound patient friends and return to the real world of hustle n grind.

 

Now that I’m back on the outside, I’m headed to New York for the Roads to Billions conference, meeting with Ulta about new projects, gearing up for my book tour, and having conversations with donors about helping us raise money for the tgin Foundation Waiting Room Project. Like most of you, I used to have a hard time taking off my cape, which I talk a lot about in my new book, This is Only a Test: What Breast Cancer Taught Me About Faith, Love, Hair and Business. Taking the time to slow down when you’re running a company, working in Corporate America, being a mom, going to school- takes work. It’s like we’re on this never-ending treadmill to get to the next stop instead of enjoying the journey and all the beauty that life brings. 

 

Don’t get me wrong, it took a while to get to this point, so I just thought I would send you a friendly reminder, too. If you haven’t checked in with yourself recently, here are a few questions to think about:

Am I checking my phone as soon as I wake up in the morning?

Am I running on caffeine and not allowing time for proper rest?

Do I make time for meditation and prayer or do I always feel like I’m running out of time?

How are my dietary habits?

Am I keeping in touch with my family members, girlfriends, loved ones who give me joy?

Am I taking care of my mind, body, soul?

Do I make time for things I enjoy?

 

Remember, self-love and self-care are not about being selfish; they’re about recognizing that you cannot pour from an empty cup. To help you along your way, I’ve created a self-care checklist that can help you stay on track with your self-development goals, even when your day-to-day life seems crazy and hectic. You can download your self-care checklist for free right now by clicking here! I hope you take advantage of this great tool and begin to prioritize your inner happiness, so you can be the best person you can be. So here’s hoping a bubble bath, some essential oils, and a little me-time are on the list for the weekend.