Small Rituals That Hold Me Together

Dear reader,

We’ve reached the halfway point of the year and if I’m honest, it hasn’t been easy. There have been stretches that felt endless, moments when I thought I’d touched the bottom, only to find another layer beneath it. Perhaps you’ve felt that too? So lately, I’ve been thinking about what’s kept me tethered. The things I return to without thinking, but which somehow keep me whole.

Movement has been one. I know—it’s not new, and everyone’s tired of hearing about it. But for me, it’s become less about effort and more about care. There’s something deeply kind about showing up for yourself, even just for a walk or a stretch. It’s not about progress, it’s about presence.

I’ve also been leaning into friendship, more intentionally than ever. Maybe that’s one of the softer gifts hidden inside harder seasons. I’ve made it a point to reach out more, checking in and staying on the line a little longer. Listening more closely. It has felt like a quiet kind of anchoring.

And then there’s been a quiet sorting of inputs. What I read, what I watch, who I let close. It’s not just about things, but about energy. Thinking about what fills me up and what drains me. I’m learning (still) that what I take in becomes what I put out. So I’m choosing more carefully now.

So here I am held, just barely at times, by these soft choices. They don’t solve everything. But they help. They remind me that steadiness doesn’t have to be loud. That softness can be strong, too.