I don’t know about you, but my September was fuuu-uullll. From kids’ activities, themed school days and picture day, sports nights, birthday parties, to a weekend away celebrating our anniversary, I was really feeling “go-go-go”. It was a challenge to find my pause, and at times I just had to give myself grace.
And this was only September… The full holiday season isn’t even upon us yet (well, maybe at the stores as they seem to skip holidays).
Taking a moment to pause and soak in the views while hiking at Pictured Rocks in MI.
October is a little lighter for us, but that calendar has a way of filling in. It either arrives suddenly at once or slowly creeps in, and most of us respond the same way: we put our heads down and just handle it like we always have.
I’ve been thinking about that “handle it” instinct a lot lately. Here’s where it started:
THE PART WE DON'T TALK ABOUT
I met Katie Busch of The Recharge Suite last year over a cup of coffee at Kompound Cafe, when she shared her vision for a one-day retreat. We complement each other well: Katie brings attention to what so many of us are quietly carrying, and I bring a hands-on way to pause and reset. That vision is now the Holiday Reset, on October 24, and I’m honored to be a part of it.
It’s a one-day retreat for women who are usually the ones holding everything together. And although the day is designed for women, the question at its heart is for anyone who carries a lot. I’m leading a watercolor segment, but the bigger idea behind the day is what stuck with me.
Most of us have quietly normalized handling everything. The workload, the household tasks, and taking care of the people who count on us. It’s the unspoken list of things that are somehow ours, and sometimes by default.
We’re functioning. We’re getting it done. And from the outside, it may look like nothing is falling apart. But on the inside, we’re running on fumes and telling ourselves we don’t need a pause. That we can handle it.
But "nothing is wrong" and "this is working for me" aren't the same thing.
What I love about this day is that it isn’t a life hack or another way to be more productive. It’s a gentle conversation you start with yourself.
Which of the things you carry are actually yours?
What could be shared, delegated, or set down?
What brings you joy, and how much of your calendar makes room for it?
Those are hard questions to ask in the middle of the busy season. They’re much easier to start asking a little bit before it starts.
Here’s the thing I keep coming back to. We’ll spend hours planning a holiday for others or traveling to see others without a second thought, but a day for ourselves gets weighed, questioned, and talked down to “maybe next year” or “when things settle down.”
Whether it’s a full day or just two hours, it’s an investment in yourself, and it doesn’t need a crisis to justify it. You don’t have to be at your breaking point to deserve time where someone else has thought through the details and you just show up. (Ah, what a wonderful feeling that would be!)
For some, that’s a welcome gift. For others, letting go of control can feel uncomfortable. Both are okay, and both are worth noticing.
In my segment, watercolor gives those questions somewhere to land. When your hands are busy with something low-stakes and a little unpredictable, the mental noise has a way of quieting down, and that makes room for them to surface. It’s the same reason good ideas show up on a walk or in the shower.
There’s no right answer on the page, just a few moments where your brain gets to stop managing everything.
WHAT I'M INTO LATELY
My husband and I escaped to Munising, MI for our anniversary (see socials for more!). We grabbed coffee at Falling Rock Cafe & Bookstore, where I noticed a unique community board while my husband paid.
It's a pay-it-forward board, but instead of just covering someone's coffee, you also write them a note. The board was full of cardboard coffee sleeves pinned row after row and on top of each other. Each one addressed to a stranger:
For any teachers who are mentally exhausted
For anyone struggling. I ♥ you
For anyone who lost a parent to Alzheimer’s/Dementia. You are loved
For someone who lost their spouse. It's okay to start over
For those seeking magic in the mundane. I hope this coffee is a reminder of that.
For someone with a turtleneck sweater and smile
What if we were this kind and gentle to ourselves?
The idea is simple. Take one if it fits you or the day you're having, or buy a sleeve and write your own message for someone else.
What got me was nobody was trying to fix anyone. They were just noticing someone in need or to spark some joy or to offer encouragement. I think that's a big part of what we're missing when we're busy handling everything: being noticed, and noticing ourselves.
THIS MONTH'S RESET | THE HANDLED LIST
This one is for everyone, whether or not October 24 is on your calendar.
Grab a piece of paper and set a timer for 5 minutes for a brain dump:
Write down everything you're currently handling. Don't edit, just get it out of your head.
Then mark each item one of three ways: mine, shareable, or not actually mine. Or, if you’re like me, grab 3 highlighters to make it more visual.
Choose one "shareable" item and ask for help with it this week.
Take notice of how it feels to let that task go. To share the load. Was it uncomfortable? Did it feel good?
No right or wrong answer...just maybe something to reflect on.
That's it. Small on purpose.
SOMETHING TO SIT WITH - THIS MONTH'S STILL POINT
“As long as you are growing by your own measure, you will be fulfilled.”
- from The Buddha and the Badass
September took a lot of grace, and I think that’s what “by your own measure” is really about. Who decides what’s enough this season?
Maybe this year....You do.
Talk soon!
Kate
*And yes, the quote is from the book none of us finished this summer. I just started the last chapters, so now I'm looking for the next book to read. Any suggestions?*
MOMENTS FROM THE STUDIO
Outside the Lines
Once a month, I led a watercolor workshop through a packaging company's community inclusion program, working with adults of varying abilities. I brought an outlined image I created, and everyone was welcome to follow along with me or do their own thing, then take their painting home to keep going.
Some follow along, some go their own way. Both are welcome.
Unfortunately, the program has been cancelled. It was one of my favorite days every month, and a reminder of what watercolor does best: it meets people where they are. No single right way, no skill level required, just a pause in the middle of a full day. I'm grateful to everyone who sat at that table with me.
*Photo above was used with permission from the company and the individual pictured.
A Seasonal Series - Fall at Sole 2 Soul Wellness Center
At this past Sunday’s intimate Sole 2 Soul session, one participant told me she always stayed in the lines when coloring as a kid, so this approach was newer for her. She taped off boundaries, then painted right over them. When the tape came off, the edges appeared, and you could still see where her painting had moved past them.
The big reveal!
I joined in, painting alongside everyone, and tried something new myself: liquid acrylic. Parts of my painting hadn’t fully dried, so when I dropped in the black liquid acrylic, it started blurring with the wet watercolor. I embraced the “oops!”, laughed about it, and eventually made it work.
Sessions fill up and dates can shift so head to Sprig + Stone's website for the most current list.
Have an idea? Ask me. Some of my favorite sessions started as a question: “Could we do something like this?”
I’m open to private events and collaborations, and each one can be adapted to the occasion. Reply with what you’re imagining, and we’ll see what’s possible.
Sprig + Stone offers Guided Creative Experiences for individuals, private groups/events, and corporate wellness in Green Bay and the Fox Valley.
Interested in a session for yourself or your team? Reply to this email - I'd love to chat.
Know someone who needs a reset? Forward this their way.
