#birthdays #selfcare and #blacklivesmatter

2017 pic taken after the move to Mexico.

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Much has happened in the last thirty days. My son turned eight, and my grandmother celebrated 100 years of life! While we made time to appreciate life this month, George Floyd's family mourned, and lynching practices in the States increased.

Just when we think we have a handle on life, something changes, and confusion emerges.

The cycle of life is hard to understand. As a baby is born, another life somewhere dies. To live in the fullness of our human potentials, we must learn to appreciate each day and find the strength to push, pull, and sometimes drag ourselves to do meaningful work.

Take a minute and savor this moment. Pay attention to your breathing patterns for thirty seconds. Listen to the birds outside your door for another thirty seconds. Do something to recognize your life is a gift.

Every month, I create a vlog episode for my family's YouTube channel, La Vida Lindsay. I started the channel when leaving the States in 2016 to move abroad. I intended to share our transition to Mexico and generate enough subscribers to earn an additional source of income. Two countries later, the vlog has evolved into an act of gratitude.

When visiting La Vida Lindsay, you will see over two hundred videos that document our experiences. We have grown from O subscribers to 3,200 subs. Developing content and learning strategy has been quite the journey. We are still learning how to connect best with our audience.

We began by releasing multiple episodes per week. After realizing multiple weekly uploads were not sustainable without sponsorships, we shifted to a once per week schedule. With our current life demands, we now upload content once per month.

Each month I review video footage captured of a single event or significant day. The opportunity to reflect on birthdays, family hikes, capoeira training sessions, or a simple Friday helps me to be more appreciative of my life. Editing video content reminds me of the blessing of being alive.

It’s easy to run from one appointment to the next without taking much time to breathe.

It’s easy to run one errand after another without sitting down to share a meal with family.

It’s easy to____________. You get the picture.

We must find ways to slow down and express gratitude for our lives. There will always be one more thing to do at work, in our homes and community. Make time today for prayer, meditation, exercise, or reflection.

Self-care is critical during these days filled with illness and racially charged tension.

You can write in a journal, walk for thirty minutes, read ten pages in a book, or have an intimate conversation with a friend this week to invest in your health. Do what feels right for you!

To see how my family processed the #blacklivesmatter movement, celebrated my son’s birthday here in Antigua, and my grandmother’s centennial birthday in the States, watch this special episode of La Vida Lindsay, Birthdays and Black Lives Matter.

After you finish the episode, subscribe to our channel, like, and share it with one family member. Have a good weekend, and be blessed!

V