Happy Friday! Since summer seems to be zooming by for me at the speed of light (how is it August already??) in a blur of sunshine and salads and baseball and BBQs… I wanted to slow down the pace today with a little coffee break.
So pour yourself a glass of iced coffee, iced tea, or maybe your favorite sparkling water, and let’s chat!
If we were actually sitting across the table from each other in a coffee shop, I’d tell you about how…
I nearly canceled my trip home to visit my family a couple of weeks ago. Between recipe testing and photography for Amy’s Healthy Baking and teaching this 6-week course, I felt really pressed for time. (But I really do enjoy all of my work!)
My head, with its voice of logic and reason, told me to stay home. To use the weekend to work work work and play catch-up on my photography and lecture preparation. That voice almost sounded exasperated, reminding me over and over that I already felt a little stressed and should skip my weekend getaway.
And yet, the quiet whisper of my heart still encouraged me to get on the plane and fly home. Although not based on logic and reason and facts, like my head, my heart’s voice softly urged me to trust my instincts, take a little time off from work, and enjoy the fun weekend I had planned months ago.
Does that ever happen to you? Where your head staunchly proclaims one thing while your heart gently whispers another? Maybe for big decisions, but maybe for smaller everyday things, too?
I’m guessing I’m not the only one…
So I decided to listen to my heart. I flew home and spent the weekend looking through my family’s vacation pictures, going to a baseball game, playing with their dogs in the backyard, and savoring every bite of my dad’s amazing grilled BBQ dinner.
When I arrived back at my own house on Sunday night, I felt refreshed and rejuvenated… And ready to tackle the big pile of work waiting for me.
It takes courage and faith to make those head-or-heart decisions. Not necessarily the big grandiose versions that we glorify in super heroes or movie characters or larger-than-life celebrities… More often, it’s the everyday versions of courage and faith where we take a deep breath, try to get in tune with our intuitions, and take the first step down the path that feels a bit better than the other and just a little bit more right.
And when I turn around and look back through the lens of crystal clear hindsight… Following the path laid out by my heart is usually the right choice.
It isn’t always easy to follow that path… Especially when there are piles of work, chores, laundry, errands, and all of the other demands of daily life trying to pull us away from slowing down and tuning in to hear our hearts’ soft whispers.
But it’s something that I’m working on. It’s something that I’m practicing. And soon, I hope it’s something that becomes as natural as breathing. Because we could all probably benefit from slowing down and taking those deep breaths and living from our hearts… Right?
And in the meantime… Here are our incredibly sweet and loving dogs, thoroughly enjoying their best heart-led lives!
Oh my – what beautiful pups!
Glad you took the time to rest and rejuvenate – everybody needs to at some point – even though it may feel counter-productive. It is so much easier to tackle the “piles” when you have made time for yourself and relaxed. 🙂
Yes, stop and smell the roses!
Love this motto Hope!! 🙂
Thank you so much Julie! I completely agree, especially that rest and rejuvenating feels counter-productive at times. Funny how our brains often try to convince us that the very thing we need most isn’t “right!” 😉
Thank you for sharing not only your recipes but your family and pets as well! I love to read your blog and try your recipes, and I enjoy your beautiful pictures!
Nita
You’re so sweet — that means the world to me Nita! Thank you!! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what recipe of mine you try next!
Beautiful pictures, thank you for all you do.
You’re so kind Frances! It’s my pleasure! 🙂
I’m so glad you went home. I long to go back to my home in Milwaukee to visit my friends and family. Planning for next spring. Love your dogs. So sweet. Have a blessed weekend and upcoming week.
Thanks so much Karen! I really hope you’re able to go home next spring. I’m sure your family would love to see you just as much as you’d love to see them! 🙂
Amy I’m so glad you followed your heart! I struggle with that too. But in the end when I do listen to my heart I’m so very glad I did. Especially when it comes to visiting family far away. With each passing of time we never know if that visit will be the last with certain family members. I’m learning to cherish those times. My mom has Alzheimer’s and the visits get harder every time but I take selfies and will now video some visits so I have her voice to remember when she’s no longer talking or with us. Chores and work will always be there but family won’t. Take time, smell the roses, have the chats…. take the selfies! Peace and love!?
Oh my goodness Janet, sending so much peace and love YOUR way! I can only imagine how difficult it must be with your mom’s progression. That isn’t an easy thing to experience, for anyone involved. What a beautiful idea to take selfies and videos when you see her — how special those will be to you and your family later in life! ♡ Thank you so much for your sweet comment and reminders!
Amy I appreciate your honesty. Yes, I agree we all go through times like this. “should I go? Should I not go?” I totally get it, I’ve been there and done that! But at the end of the day spending time with your loved ones and creating memories is much more important than work or chores. I no longer have my parents and I’m only 51, I lost my mom 18 years ago and my dad 13 years and and I miss them dearly. Follow your heart and enjoy the time you spend with your loved ones, trust me it’s totally worth it and you won’t ever be sorry you did it.
Also, you dogs are adorable. It was interesting because I just last nigh had a dream about my parents and one of my favorite dogs which passed on years ago. He looked just like those pups! 🙂
Keep those recipes coming, we love the
Oh my goodness Alycia, thank you so much for sharing your story with me! Such a wonderful reminder about spending time with loved ones and never regretting it. I can only imagine how difficult it must have been to lose both of your parents so early in life. Sending so much peace your way! ♡ Thank you for your kind words about our dogs! That seems a little bit too eerie about your dream to be coincidental… Sounds like it was meant to be! 🙂
Kudos to you….love the photos – beautiful dogs. Hope you had a very relaxing vacation. Life can be very stressful, even doing the things we love to do. We all need to escape from time to time, so we can be refreshed!!!
Thank you so much Sandi! I completely agree that we all need to escape to feel refreshed! 🙂
Beautiful pictures. Love the dogs!
Thanks so much Judy! 🙂
Very powerful, Amy! I find that it’s better to listen to the heart, rather than the scarily overpowering mind.
You totally hit the nail on the head, Liz — it truly is scary how overpowering our minds can be at times! As always, thank you so much for your sweet comments!! 🙂
Amy!! Those photos of your dogs are INCREDIBLE! What beautiful pets! I especially love the last one where their faces are smooshed together! Looks like you found your second career in case you ever tire of running a baking blog! I volunteer my cats for your first subjects!! 😉
So glad you chose to listen to your heart and take some time away from work to spend with your family. I faced the SAME internal struggle on weekends during the credential program, and I am already starting to get that way again now as school is approaching… while my head tells me there is so much to do, read about, prep, and make, and I need to use EVERY second of my available time to get ready for my upcoming teaching year… my heart tells me quietly that I can manage my time better and use weekends for what they are for… spending time with friends and loved ones, doing things that bring me joy outside of work, and not completely losing who I am inside my frenzy of reading curriculum books, memorizing standards, making spreadsheets, and pinning alllllll the teacher things. I fear that if I don’t start the habit of putting things away during weekend or at least limiting my weekend work, my WHOLE year of weekends will be me working and I will burn out! So I feel you, my friend. Thank you for this post, so inspiring! Miss you and SO proud of your amazing work!! <3
You did the right thing! Always listen to your heart! Your dogs are gorgeous – so precious! Keep up the balance of peace, work and vacation!
You’re so sweet Mary — thank you!! That’s so true… It’s definitely a balancing act! 🙂
Awwwww you’re the biggest sweetheart ever, Andrea!! Thank you so much! 🙂 In that photo, they’re actually both holding onto the same tennis ball in their mouths… It’s hilarious how they try to take it from each other’s mouths like that!
I totally needed this reminder! I think I established the habit of working on weekends pretty early on… Maybe as early as high school (all those 6-9’s meant less time for HW during the week!), but definitely during college. I’m totally in awe and inspired by you making an intentional decision to NOT work weekends now so it doesn’t become a habit. I could definitely benefit from doing that as well! ♡ And I’m SO excited about your new teaching position!!! So proud of you for following your dreams and making this a reality!!
Thanks for your recipes and for your thoughtfulness. I enjoy your blog very much. Yoyr dogs are adorable.. amost as cute as mine (ha ha… just kidding). I am about to search through your site for low fat zucchini treat recipes.
Thank you so much for your kind words, Penny! That means the world to me! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what zucchini recipe of mine you decide to try!