I took an extended hiatus, and this is what I learned. Can you relate?

Hey guys! I’m back from taking a hiatus. Happy New Year!

It’s been a few months since my last post and after a much-needed hiatus, I had to share what I’ve been up to and the lessons I’ve learned along the way. 

Let me know if you can relate.

If you missed my last post about the lessons learned after six years of blogging, you can check it out here. To sum up, I realized that you have to know your worth and also know when to change direction and take a break if needed. The world is always changing, and we have to learn to adapt to it.

Affiliate Disclaimer: This blog post contains affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the links. 

Lessons I learned while taking an extended hiatus.

1. Being there for family is invaluable.

In my last post, I mentioned my father had a stroke and had stints in an out of the hospital. Maybe the timing of leaving my job was all in God’s plan, but it worked out for the best. I was able to offer help and be present to lend a hand during one of the most difficult and stressful times. 

Dad is doing better now compared to last Spring; however, the road to recovery is a marathon and not a race. There is still work to do, but thank goodness he hasn’t revisited a hospital for the rest of 2022. So we’ll take that as a blessing.

2. I didn’t realize I was suffering from burnout.

I wrote a post about dealing with burnout a while back and tips to deal with it and reboot. So I find it ironic I’m back in this same space talking about resetting my life after burnout once again. 

This time around the burnout was not so severe; however, my body let me know I needed much-needed rest and a break when I finally had a moment of free time to pause. Well, that pause turned into nodding off to sleep and afternoon naps.

After enjoying a lovely week-long vacation during my hiatus in the Poconos in May, I remembered how nice it was to be back out in nature doing simple things and enjoying life’s simple pleasures. 

Today many of us are on the go and rushing but never take a minute to pause. Life moves so fast that we must remember to stop and enjoy it or it may pass us by.

3. Practicing self-care and getting back on the fitness wagon.

If you are like me and fitness is a challenge, welcome to the club. Living through the experience of helping a family member recover from a stroke you take stock of your own life and choices. I wanted to be more proactive now while I’m in my prime to stay on top of my health. 

Over the summer as the restrictions eased I made it a priority to get a physical and so glad I did. My bloodwork was good. No diabetes. Great cholesterol – you know all the things that I’m concerned about that run in my family. I’m really convinced my 99% vegetarian diet contributed to that.

Now with weight, I know I have several pounds to lose but more importantly I became aware of my blood pressure numbers. Yikes! 

So now, knowing that information helped give me the added motivation to get my rear in gear. I started working out four to five days a week and incorporated more activity daily. I also incorporated deep breathing exercises and increased my water consumption.

After about 4 months of work, my numbers are looking much better. That may sound like slow progress but working to lower blood pressure naturally without prescription meds was something important to me.

The journey isn’t over as I have to keep it up for life, but at least I’m on the right path. I do my best to pamper myself when I can and enjoy things that make me smile and relax too.

Lighting a Bath and Body works candle or indulging in scented scrubs or music makes me feel uplifted.

4. Trying freelance writing is awesome!

Since last June I’ve been freelance writing. At the time of writing this post, I’m on a break as my contract ended right before the holidays, but I’m so grateful for the experience. My only regret is I did not start sooner. I’m excited about what new opportunities this year will bring.

If you are on the fence about trying something new, I encourage you to just go for it. You only get one life.

5. I’m always learning.

Speaking of trying something different. I also ventured outside of my comfort zone and completed an Information Technology course by Course Careers. Since leaving my last day job, I thought about completely changing direction and trying a new industry. And since technology is ever-changing and growing, I think it’s worth investing in. 

The course was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but I passed with flying colors. If you are curious about starting a career in tech or starting an  I.T. career to pivot into something new, you can view this introductory course for free.

Honestly, the best fusion of tech and passion for me would be Pet Tech! I would love to be able to be a part of a team to improve the lives of pets and their owners with new technology. But until then I have this blog to help pet parents after losing a furry family member.

I always enjoy learning and challenging myself, even if it is uncomfortable.

6. Taking time off gave me time to reset.

Lastly, taking this extended hiatus allowed me to rest and reset. My time off started quite booked and busy despite not working a full-time day job. After the dust settled and I found my rhythm, it was refreshing to have a moment to rest, sleep in, and relax. 

I didn’t realize just how much I needed to refresh and reboot until life threw me a curve ball. 

Final Thoughts

So that’s what I’ve been up to while on extended hiatus. Let me know if you can relate. Did you take some time in 2022 to take a break? What did you do during that time to reboot and refresh?

Now that I’m back I can pick up where I left off creating more fresh content for you to help you in your time of need. 

Don’t forget to view my YouTube channel as I have video content over there as well.

I appreciate your support over the years and wish you and your loved ones a very happy, healthy, and blessed new year in 2023!