yesterday when that easter ham was cooking a way, i immediately felt like i had time traveled. any time i smell ham cooking it connects me to my grandma. thats just how her house always seemed to smell. When i was little , i was shy and most of the cousins were older than me. and when we went to grandmas it was usually a holiday get together. so i had a bit of anxiety. but that feeling isnt what arises now. it's the love and the family collection and the comfort of knowing ... those were my people. 💗 do you have a smell that connects you to a time, a place, or a person?

I was reading over the Boundaries page in the classroom and it hit me. I have not felt any long exposure to a free space to hold for myself to exist out loud, in my entire life (until recently). I have never connected mindfulness as a self boundary before and I must say, I think I feel something in me leaning into that knowledge much more than any other guidance I have been given. Have you ever felt disconnected from your inner self? Has it shown up in your parenting style over your time as a parent/guardian/carer? It has definitely impacted parenting over the years in many different forms, every milestone, or a trigger event that may happen that I am unaware is happening. All neurons fire and emotions and reaction was leading every time. I have been giving myself so much patience recently, which has been due to new boundaries I have implemented for myself, with the support of my awesome husband!

I am definitely a person who values and NEEDS space to reregulate and decompress. Things add up for me quickly but take a really long time for me to process them and feel stabilized. This can cause a lot of confusion and impatience from my daughter and other people around me in the past and in todays environment. I am such an avid over sharer and people pleaser that I have constantly burnt myself out trying to achieve what everyone calls "Balance". When it comes down to boundaries, I am at the beginning of my own journey, though I have many break throughs. Mum guilt is not one I have leaped over yet. Putting in a verbal and physical boundary such as "I am taking space for myself", is HUGE! But I have been doing it and even when my daughter goes on a rampage about it, I remove myself completely and everything settles. After time to myself we are ALL regulated and ready to have more fun!

Since removing myself from certain people in my life, my whole nervous system has started relaxing. My body and mind feel healthier. It was a hard transition but I kept the boundaries, when I reflect on it, I don't regret it. They were all energy drainers that consistently demanded more. I was in a chronic socially burnt out loop (even family members!). Since my body has calmed a few notches I can now notice when I am feeling overwhelmed by their energy. I am still working on the confidence in my permission statement, especially when I feel guilty later for holding onto my boundaries. My permission statement reaffirms my capacity in the moment and accepting what level I am at.

do you think children should be forced to say "thank you" and "please"? or even "sorry"? let's chat