Lighten Up
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Photography by Madi Flournoy Henderson
Dress: Nordstrom || Shoes: Lucky Brand
A light and flowy summer dress is a must. Now, more than ever, I am in need of “lightness.” One of my favorite brands that meets this need is Hinge from Nordstrom. Hinge is known for its dresses in fun prints and relaxed styles. This dress has that light feeling and is non-maternity. A major win-win for this pregnant girl!
During the summer, my load is definitely lightened with school being out. However, with all this extra time, I am doing what I do best: unnecessarily building that load back up again. I’ve already been scheduling meetings, running errands, re-organizing my classroom, etc. – all things that I feel like I should be doing to pass the time, but probably things that are not best for my mental well-being.
I need to get better at taking the time to lighten the load. I know for a lot of us it’s easier said than done. And, sometimes, life just doesn’t allow it. But, it is important for us to slow down and connect with God. It is in those times that we actually hear what He has to say. It is unfortunate that for a lot of us, including me, it sometimes takes a complete utter breakdown for us to realize what we truly need.
In all areas—especially in the blog world and on social media—it is easy to play the comparison game and feel like you need to go faster, work harder, smile bigger, and have amazing lighting at all hours. But sometimes God wants you to do the exact opposite. I am not saying to call-in to work tomorrow and say that you are taking the rest of the week off. What I am saying is that you should stop for a minute. Chill out. Lighten up. Stop worrying about where you want to be and focus on where you should be. Whether that is taking time to read a book, spend time with friends, be with family, or go for a run. Whatever you need to do to recharge your soul and your relationship with Him… do that. The rat race will still be there tomorrow, but you will run it better if you are focused on what He wants you to do today. The more time you spend listening to His wants instead of your own, the less running you will actually have to do.
