Dear John,

Yesterday, when I went downstairs to work out in our basement, I discovered that my husband Michael had moved a large piece of equipment to another part of the room. It left a wide-open space at the entrance of our gym area and the minute I opened the door and walked in I felt my body relax – even before I fully recognized why.

When I realized what Michael had done, I marveled at the difference it made in my attitude. Upon seeing the space, I instantly felt lighter, energized, and happier. During my workout, I kept looking back at the area to get a hit of that good feeling. 

It might be unusual, but I really love space. Space in my calendar. Space in my head. Space in my environment. I’ve always been someone who feels better with room to breathe and now, in my wisdom years, I find that I need it even more. I’m becoming a fierce defender of space. 

Years spent rushing and living by the clock have worn me out and I’ve grown to appreciate having the time I need to take care of myself. I like who I am with fewer commitments on my calendar and while I do love spontaneity, the days of being a last-minute gal who uses pressure to get things done are long gone. Freedom is my new motivation.

Today more than ever before, we have so much to defend against – emails, texts, phone calls, DMs, and so many invitations to do so many things. How strange to discover that I’m learning to love “no things’ more than the best things life has to offer. 

Love,
Cheryl

P.S. – If you want to know more about the self-care strategies that make the wisdom years rich and enjoyable, check out my new audiobook called: Self Care for the Wisdom Years. You can find it, here.

Need a little Divine Direction? Use the “Touch of Grace” button at the bottom of our homepage here.