The Space in Between

Today is my birthday, and I'm celebrating in one of my favorite ways. I'm currently with a retreat group in the Azores. I've been looking forward to returning to this magical place since I first visited in 2021 (when the below photo was taken). 

In June, I told you that I was stepping back a bit from my usual activities as the sole owner and operator of Firefly Community. The summer has flown by and has been full of fun adventures with my husband and dogs. The kitties don't get to join us on our adventures, but are always happy to occupy our laps while we're at home. They have also been enjoying some time in their catio and on the deck with me. 

I recently read a newsletter from one of my teachers, Sarah Tacy, in which she said, "After the summer swirl settles, and before the full holiday sprint begins, there's a pause. A space. It doesn't have to be a hustle-heavy start. It's not a crash recovery plan. It's a reclamation space." Can you relate? I know I can. Summer was a whirlwind, and I feel called to pause. To take more time for myself since the last few months have been busier than I intended.

September is a magical time. A month that I've always cherished (it probably has a little bit to do with being my birthday month - I read somewhere that most people's favorite month is their birthday month). But it also has to do with the feeling in the air. That crispness as the temperatures drop, the leaves start to change color, and I can breathe more fully. The feeling of ease doesn't last long, because as Tacy points out, the holiday sprint is on its way. 

I've always been an ambitious person who goes after her goals with gusto. Ambition is a natural urge to grow and experience more of life. But as Tacy pointed out in her missive, "Ambition, in our culture, often has one directive: Do more than everyone else. Faster. Louder. No time to pause. By that metric, pausing looks like weakness. Slowing down looks like falling behind." But as I've experienced in my journey, pressing pause is a necessary part of life. 

Sometimes, you must stop and check in with yourself to be sure you have the resources needed before diving headfirst into your ambition. In fact, self-care aids in increasing our creativity, efficiency, and ability to make measurable progress. Your worth is not earned through depletion. When you attend to your own needs, you are better able to be compassionate toward others. Nurturing yourself has a positive impact on those around you.

To honor this time to pause, I signed up for a writing retreat in Costa Rica in November. I've decided to continue with the reduced cadence of blog posts (one per month) through the fall. The rest of my writing will be on my Substack accounts: Wild Western Wanderers (told from the perspective of my dogs) and Variety is the Spice of Life. I will continue to offer my usual Zoom yoga classes on Mondays and Wednesdays and have a few extra classes and workshops, along with a one-day retreat this Fall. You can see these offerings on the seasonal events page of this website. 

I have three wonderful retreats planned for 2026. You can learn more about each of those by visiting the events/retreats page. I hope to see you at an event soon. In the meantime, take a moment to enjoy the space in between.