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Heeeeyyyy Reader,

It's officially May and it's been gorgeous here in IL hunty! 😍 How's the weather where you're located Reader? In typical April fashion, it was a mixture of thunderstorms, gray skies and sunshine. And I mean this both metaphorically and naturally in terms of the weather.

I'm not gon' lie Reader... April tried to take me OUT mentally! Remember I told you we were in a legal battle with our landlord? Well you could say phase I of that battle is over because we found a beautiful home and moved at the end of April! 🎊

Like me, you might have been struggling to navigate the mix of turbulence along with beautiful life milestones. I have a whole podcast episode on navigating life transitions, but this felt like an all out war on everything I've ever believed about myself. Do you feel like you're in a moment like this Reader?

Here's what the last 2 months looked like for me: weekly bouts of anxiety, 10-min freak outs where my brain would assume the worst possible scenario struggling to regulate my emotions moment to moment, feeling peace in the moments I showed up for others, played worship music, or sat in God's presence, CHOOSING to focus on whatever is good, lovely, pure, righteous, etc. and finding comfort in an uncontrollable situation.

See Reader the thing is when you say you stand on something and it's your life mission, your purpose, your passion -- your words will always be tested. The methods you teach people about navigating through crisis will always be tested. Your belief system will always be tested.

If I can choose peace, choose joy, choose to still cultivate moments of excitement and make memories in tough circumstances - you can too!

Here's what I noticed and wanted to share with you after making it through Phase I of this battle...

• Focus on what you can control. Cliche yet true. Worrying about what's potentially coming only increases anxiety. Worrying also is typically focused on the negative aspects of the situation and not all the amazing possibilities. The singular practical thing that brought me immense comfort during this transition? The excitement of decorating a new house even though I didn't know what it would look like. Questions: What can you look forward to and focus on in spite of your current life challenge? What positive aspect of your situation have you been missing because you've been too preoccupied with the negative?

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• Do what you know to do. At the end of the day basics are basics, because they work. There are things you have to do regardless of the outcome of your situation and how you do those things is #1 an indicator of your faith #2 very important in your next phase of life. They will either set you up for success or failure. If you choose to give half-hearted effort, you'll get half-hearted results. *PAUSE* I'm not saying you can't rest or take a break - I took a break from social media and I didn't email you last week. I'm saying be intentional in how you do everything in this season. Put some thought into it and if the consequences are worth the relief right now: go for it! Questions: What are your basic soothing techniques that work for you? What are the things you know need to get done right now regardless of how you feel?

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• Believe bigger for your future. Despite what things look like right now, the Bible says in Jeremiah 29:11 God has BIG plans for you! I love Marshawn Evans Daniels description of BIG, she says Built In God. Regardless of what you see now, God's BIG plans for you are still PROMISED to be amazing! That's something to look forward to even if you can't see the whole picture now. As I was going through, I needed to fall back from socials but I knew that God would use my situation to encourage someone else. I knew - and still know today even though I'm not quite out of this season - that the reward for the suffering will be even greater than what I had to go through. Your belief determines what's possible for you in your next season. Questions: What will you choose to believe about your future Reader? How do you see this situation turning out for your good?

I think if I could sum up what helped me through Phase I it would be this: Even when you’re scared... even when it isn’t making sense... keep walking. Focus on God. Keep focused on what’s ahead of you as you navigate through your season. YOU CAN DO THIS Reader, BECAUSE YOU WERE BUILT FOR THIS.

The Weekly Resource:

​This is the part of the email where I share an amazing resource I think might be helpful for you Reader. Some of these resources are affiliate links/resources I get paid to share. This is at no cost to you, but helps support the work I do. I'm committed to providing the most high-quality resources to help you live a lifestyle of wellness Reader. So if you don't have a good experience with a resource I've shared, I'd love to hear about it. *Note: When you click the button to subscribe or follow someone it's an instant follow.​

This week's recommendation is XYZ and I think you'll love it because ABC.

The Newsette is that girl okay Reader? It's a newsletter run by Gen Z/Millennial women with interviews, recipes, cultural rundowns and so much more! After being a subbie to the Newsette for several weeks now, I can confidently say I thoroughly enjoy opening it up to read with my morning coffee! Join the Newsette here!​ Newsette Access Here!

Well that's all I have for you this week Reader! As usual, if you have any questions, hit reply and let's chat!

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