A Little Piece of my Heart

This morning, my alarm went off at 5:30 a.m.

I'll be honest, I didn't want to get out of bed. Every part of me wanted to roll over, close my eyes, and try another day.

But I got up.

By 7:30 a.m., I was back home from the gym, and something had shifted. I wasn't celebrating because I had the perfect workout. I was celebrating because I showed up.

Lately, I've been learning that life isn't about doing everything perfectly. It's about showing up, especially on the days when it's hard.

This has been one of the hardest years of my life.

Not just in business, but personally.

Many of you know that I always try to encourage others, but I also believe in being transparent. Menopause has taken a toll on me physically, mentally, and emotionally. Some mornings I wake up feeling like I can conquer the world. Other days, I don't want to get out of bed. I don't want to answer messages. I don't want to create. I don't want to go anywhere.

And when you're a business owner, those difficult days don't pause the responsibilities.

I've noticed something else, too. The chaos I was feeling inside slowly began to show up around me. My office became cluttered. My home became cluttered. My mind felt cluttered.

So, I'm choosing something different.

I'm slowing down.

I'm organizing my spaces.

I'm making time for the things that fill my soul instead of only checking off my to-do list.

I'm reading again.

I'm spending time with my planners.

I'm coloring.

I'm journaling in my Bible.

I'm creating not because I have to, but because it reminds me who I am.

This past weekend, I spent time with an incredible group of women. We traveled to Charlotte, North Carolina, and then I visited my daughter in South Carolina.

We planned.

We cried.

We encouraged one another.

But what I'll remember most is that we laughed.

Not just a little laugh.

The kind of laughter that makes your stomach hurt, your eyes water, and your heart feel lighter.

For a few moments, I forgot about the heaviness I'd been carrying.

God has a beautiful way of placing people in our lives at exactly the right time. People who remind us that we're loved. People who hold us together when we feel like we're falling apart. People who speak life into us when we've forgotten how to speak life into ourselves.

If you're walking through a difficult season, I hope you have people like that.

And if you don't, I pray you find them.

One thing I've learned about myself is that when I'm hurting, I naturally want to give. Serving others has always brought me joy. It's part of who I am.

But this season has also taught me that I must give myself permission to receive—rest, grace, encouragement, and love.

So that's where I am today.

Taking life one day at a time.

One workout.

One room to organize.

One chapter to read.

One planner spread.

One prayer.

One intentional choice after another.

Thank you for walking this journey with me—not just as customers, but as a community. Your support has meant more than you'll ever know.

If you're in a season of becoming, know this:

You don't have to have it all together.

You have to keep showing up.

With love,

Anika
The Art of Becoming
Anika's Kreative Kloset