This photo… it’s full of stories that you can’t see when you first look but it’s layered so that when I look at it, I get flooded.

This was from right before I met Craig. This was when I was living in such a way that I woke up each day excited. I was living in such a way that I startled myself with the sound of my own laughter that came from so deep in my belly and that erupted from me so very easily.

This was from when I was doing All the Things. And I wasn’t doing All the Things out of some sense of “MUST” but rather out of “could” and “happily so.”

After so many years of serious depression, I had finally gotten back to what I call my “gooey center.”

Then a lot of shit happened that I don’t want to review.

I’m sharing this photo to say… here she is… Here is me.

Here is the me who spent time in spiritual practices every single day without the need to schedule them.

Here is the me who danced every single day BESIDES all the movement teaching she did almost daily.

Here is the me who went to the lake, who walked in the park, who spent time outside every day.

Here is the me who ate so healthily because she finally felt the difference and it stuck.

Here is the me who put herself first because only by doing that are we the best version of us for those around us.

Here is the me who felt like a fucking superstar just by living her own life.

So here’s what I’m giving up for lent this year:

I’m giving up NOT doing what I know makes me feel great.

I’m giving up HIDING.

I’m giving up this mousey, playing small that I seem to have fallen into.

I’m giving up too much damn quiet.

I’m giving up the lethargy and the apathy and the what-if-ism and the only-if-ism and the regret and the doubt and the self judgment.

Oh… and gluten. ((ha))

You?