As I'm writing this, it's been exactly 1 month since I last posted a blog post. I've missed this part of my routine. Blogging is a hobby for me, a release, a place for me to get my thoughts out and hopefully encourage someone else along the way as I sort through my jumbled emotions.
I love writing.
I love creating.
I love sharing.
I love encouraging.
I love learning.
For nearly a year this blog has been a place where I've been able to do all 5 of those things, and I've loved it!
However, for the past several months I've been working on another project that I haven't shared here yet. If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram, then you know exactly what I'm referring to because, to be frank, I haven't shut up about it for the past few weeks. 😂
Ya'll, I'm launching a magazine!
In fact, today is the official launch day!
If you're interested in learning more about the magazine you can click HERE, but that's not the purpose of this post. Today I want to share about rolling with the punches.
Life has a "funny" habit of throwing things at you during the most inconvenient of times. When you're in the middle of grieving a loss is when your baby goes through a sleep regression. When you're in the middle of an extra demanding week at work you get sick. Or maybe just as you're getting your feet under you and finding a rhythm, insecurity rears it's ugly head and you fall down again.
For transparency's sake, I'm speaking 100% from experience here.
For the past several months I've been working extremely hard at launching this magazine, a passion project of mine I've been desiring to do for nearly 2 years. It's been in this season of challenge and growth and questioning and uncertainty that I've finally figured out what rolling with the punches really looks like.
It isn't a method to perfect, but rather a lifestyle of pushing onward even when it's uncomfortable.
You see, life is a series of mountains and valleys. Highs and lows. It's not a matter of if hard times will come, but when. Gut punches that knock the wind out of you seem to come at the most inopportune of times. It's not about being able to deflect the blow, but rather not let it knock you down for long, and choosing to get up again.
In the words of Captain America, "I could do this all day."
As I've been working on this magazine, I've had a few punches. My time has been limited. Our health took a toll for a while. I had moments of complete overwhelm that felt an awful lot like drowning.
But the important thing is that I didn't choose to let those punches get the best of me. I might have bled a little, but I didn't stay down. I might have an ugly bruise, but I'm standing.
What I've learned is that you might do everything you can to plan and prevent hard times or challenges, but they're going to come anyways. (You might say that's pessimistic; I say it's realistic.)
Instead of living life in a constant state of preparation in hopes of deflecting punches, I'd encourage you to focus on strengthening yourself so that when the punches come, they don't knock you out. You may bleed, but you don't stay down. You may get bruised, but you're standing.
Ultimately rolling with the punches requires endurance, something I won't pretend to be a pro at. However, there are 3 women I know who are--in my opinion--experts in endurance. These women are the guest writers in the first issue of my magazine, Your (Mess)age Mag, and they're sharing their insights on what it looks like to endure. If you find you're someone who struggles to roll with the punches, this magazine was created exactly for you.
You can order your copy of the magazine via the button below!
Life requires endurance. Rolling with the punches requires endurance. And endurance is a lot easier when you have someone alongside you.
I am here for you, cheering you on, supporting you. So much so that I created a whole magazine just for encouraging you.
I'm on your side, in the trenches with you! Instead of living a life wrapped in bubble wrap trying to avoid every danger life presents, let's pursue strength and endurance. You got this!
Katie xx