Being Intentional: Do My Words Cast a Spell?

Happy Sunday, friends. 🤍

I want to start by apologizing for being a little sporadic with my blog posts these past few weeks. Truthfully, I’ve been trying to get my headspace back on track.

I’ve always believed that if I’m going to share something with you, I want it to be meaningful. I don’t want to create content simply for the sake of showing up. If I’m not feeling the good vibes, I’d rather take a step back, breathe, and come back when I have something genuine to share.

If you’re new here, welcome. And if you’re returning, thank you for being here. It means more than you know. Life has felt heavy lately. As many of you know, I’ve been dealing with the loss of my mom. Losing someone you love has a way of changing the rhythm of everyday life. There are moments when I feel okay, and then suddenly a wave of sadness catches me completely off guard. I’m still experiencing emotions I haven’t quite figured out how to face.

I recently took a much-needed break from my normal routine, work, and everyday responsibilities. Dennis and I usually take a monthly camping adventure, but we haven’t been able to get away since June. Work has been incredibly busy—we’re in peak season—and on top of that, we’ve been saying our goodbyes and trying to navigate life without our mom. Needless to say, I needed a break. I had reached a point where I felt completely overwhelmed. I even came close to walking away from my job, something I’ve invested nearly 20 years of my life into. It wasn’t really about one particular moment. It was everything piling up at once. Sometimes it’s not the one thing that breaks you down. It’s all the little things that have been accumulating quietly in the background.

Do my thoughts cast a spell?

Lately, I’ve been asking myself this question: Do my thoughts put a spell on me? Am I manifesting the wrong energy? I know there is a lot of conversation around manifestation, positive thinking, and creating the life we want. But I also think there’s something important to remember: We are human. We’re going to have bad days. We’re going to feel angry, sad, frustrated, exhausted, and overwhelmed. I’ve allowed sadness to take up a lot of space in my thoughts lately. I’ve lashed out. I’ve reacted to things that I probably would have brushed off under different circumstances. At one point, I almost quit my job over a comment that, under normal circumstances, probably wouldn’t have bothered me nearly as much. That was when I realized I was in a tailspin. I don’t want to live there. I want to find my way back to myself. Enough is enough. I need peace. I need joy. I need to feel like myself again. And maybe getting “back on track” doesn’t mean returning to exactly who I was before. Maybe it means creating a new rhythm. One that gives me room to grieve. Room to rest. Room to breathe. Room to simply be. For me, being in nature has always been a way to center myself mentally and emotionally. There’s something about stepping away from the noise and allowing all of my senses to wake up. I hear the waves gently breaking along the shore. I feel the cool breeze against my skin. I love the warmth of the sand as it slips between my toes. I watch the sunset and somehow, even for just a moment, I smile. I smell comfort food being made while family and friends eagerly wait for that first bite.

These are simple things. But lately, simple things are exactly what I need.

Finding joy in the little things

Even though I’ve been under the weather, I knew this little getaway needed to happen. I needed to step away. I needed a change of scenery. I needed a little reset. Dennis and I played Boggle. I watched a movie. I took several naps. I touched the water. I watched dolphins playing nearby. I watched other families enjoying their time together. Nothing extraordinary happened. And yet, somehow, it felt extraordinary. Maybe that’s what I’ve been missing. Not a huge life transformation. Not a perfect day. Just small moments of joy. A quiet morning. A walk outside. A sunset. A good meal. A silly game with someone you love. A nap without feeling guilty about it. The sound of the ocean. The feeling of sand beneath your feet. These little micro-adventures are reminders that life is still happening all around us, even when our hearts are hurting.

Being intentional with my energy

I’m learning that being intentional doesn’t mean forcing myself to be positive all the time. It means being aware. Aware of what I’m consuming. Aware of what I’m saying. Aware of the thoughts I’m allowing to take up permanent residence in my head. And maybe most importantly, aware of when I need to step away. I don’t want to give every negative comment, difficult moment, or passing thought the power to change my entire day. I want to choose peace when I can. I want to choose joy when it finds me. I want to spend more time outside. I want more quiet moments. More micro-adventures. More time being present. More simple pleasures. And yes, I want to keep an open heart and an open mind.

Maybe my thoughts don’t literally cast a spell over my life. But I do believe the way I speak to myself can influence how I experience the world around me. So, instead of asking myself, “Why am I feeling this way?” Maybe I can ask: “What do I need right now?” Sometimes the answer might be rest. Sometimes it might be a good cry. Sometimes it might be a walk. Sometimes it might be time in nature. And sometimes it might simply be a quiet moment with someone I love. I’m giving myself permission to take those moments. To slow down. To heal. To find my way back. And to remember that even in seasons of grief, there can still be little pockets of beauty. That’s what I want to manifest. More presence. More peace. More joy in the ordinary. More time outside. More little adventures. And a life lived with intention, one day at a time.

Until next Sunday, friends, take a little time for yourself. Step outside if you can. Notice something beautiful. Put your phone down for a few minutes. Take a deep breath.

And if life feels heavy right now, remember—you don’t have to figure everything out today.

Just take the next small step. 🤍

What is one simple thing that brings you back to yourself?

I’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment, share this post with someone who might need a little reminder to slow down, and come back next Sunday for another Sunday Diary.

With love,

Susan