And So It Begins: A Journey Into Self-Care

In 2009, I quit the newspaper industry. Flying high on the wings of my newly-minted communications degree a year earlier, I believed journalism to be my calling. It wasn’t even three months into my 2008 hiring before ripples of the industry’s panic reached the local Texas newspaper I worked for.

Wave after wave of layoffs resulted, climbing from the printing press to the circulation department and the advertising department - and eventually up to the reporter’s area on the third floor. That, combined with the bare paychecks, the lack of vacation days, the negative atmosphere, and the irregular hours, made me take a jump into the unemployed unknown.

At some point, faced with the lack of a job’s financial stability and purpose, combined with the sting of failure and a bad breakup, I found myself in a local pastor’s office, seeking answers. I was filled with a sense of desperation. How did anyone make it in life? What did “making it” even mean? Having popped into the pastor’s office unexpectedly, I was an inconvenient time slot, and came away with his schedule and a brochure. This wasn’t the kind of guidance I’d come for.

It was then that I began a search for meaning in earnest. My first real step into self-care and balance was when I attended a meditation session with a friend in a local Buddhist temple. The idea that I could engage in a whole hour of reflection to renew myself - guilt-free - was a dizzying discovery. Investing into myself? What a possibility! I took the idea of self-investment and slowly began applying it to different aspects in my life.

Flash forward to current day, 2017. I am the owner of a fledgling marketing and consulting company. I am blessed with a supportive partner, two wonderful fur babies, and a wonderful network of friends. I’ve also gone through various jobs, gotten married, moved to another state, divorced, and started my “second chance” at life (as I like to call it) in the course of getting to this point.

In my decade-long journey for meaning, I’ve overcome  various challenges but I still grapple with others. Over the course of this series, I’ll be exploring what worked, what hasn’t, and what I’m still struggling with. (Like finally finding some balance to my hectic life!) To start, here’s a snapshot of some of the things I’m working on now.

Personal goals:

1. Deepening my Buddhist practice
2. Deepening my Christian practice
3. Improving on the knowledge of my culture, history (Mexican-American)
4. Maintaining a vegetarian lifestyle
5. Improving my self-care routine: personal time, beauty, exercise, hobbies
6. Spending time with the people I value
7. Giving back to the community: volunteerism, donations, connections
8. Become a better person, for the good of others

I’m creating this blog to document my journey, to seek help and inspiration from others, and to share tips and tools that can lighten the load. My hope is that I can open up up a forum for discussion and connect with like-minded people. I hope you’ll continue this journey of growth with me. Thank you for reading!