At the beginning of each week, I start off strong (just like black coffee) with doing all the things that need to be done right off the bat. I do my chores, or go to work for the day, and usually do all of my schoolwork. You may be wondering how I can do my schoolwork all at one sitting and I can tell you that it’s because my course has a chapter and its assignments due at the end of the week but if I get it done, I don’t need to worry about it anymore! For the next few days in the week, I can find time to brainstorm some posts and blog entries here while I can go to work. Now we get to what falls flat: I have the momentum for the first few days of the week to pour all the caffeine, care taking for family members, and relationships I invest in until the end of the week. TGIF is my Friday mantra. The weekends leave me feeling tired and burnt out and I neglect my own well-being. As selfish as this entry seems, I want this one to be a post I can look back on and if you find yourself feeling the same way, here are some things I do to fill up my own cup.

• Read the word: The Bible is so refreshing for the soul and you’re learning more about the creator and what He has created you for. Psalms 23 is my favorite passage in the Bible because it reminds me to rest.

  “Verse 2- He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.”

  Verse 5- “You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings.”

• Take a nap: I know that not everyone has it in their schedule to, but I still treat myself like a kindergartener who still needs nap time. This is how I rest. I’m catching with my body as it tells me, “Girl, I can’t keep up with your mind, please SLOW DOWN!”

• Painting my nails: If there are any guys reading this, definitely pass this one up! I’ve been painting my nails since I was a senior in High School. I like to watch a comfort show while I carefully paint my nails. Doing this activity actually makes me do nothing but enjoy what’s in front of me and to not touch anything. Entertainment and self-care are comforting.

• Journaling: I used to post journal prompts on my Instagram for you guys to respond to or write in your own journals. During the week I try to respond to them as well while doodling on the side of the pages. I can truly reflect on how I’m feeling and how I can respond in certain situations. I encourage you to write a brain dump, which is a page entry where you can write whatever is going on in your mind, if you can. I don’t do them as often as I should. The best part is that its personal and no one can see it. Journaling is for you and you alone.

• Running: As of late (like a week ago) I started to run on a treadmill at home. I used to run while I was in middle school and almost tried out for the track team. My twin sister runs more consistently than I do, I only ran twice last week and none this week (RIP dawg). But it makes you feel better and listening to the right music (Christian rap or Taylor Swift) makes it easier to keep on going. My goal is to run two miles in under 30 minutes. She’s a runner, she’s a wanna be track star.

Those five things have helped me so much at the end of every week to start a new week. Feel free to share how you fill up your own cup on Instagram! I would love to hear from you!

Keep pouring,

Khalie x