My Peeps

I have been thinking about people in my life recently and how they enable my wellness journey. According to Google (do you like my referencing methodology??), healthy relationships sow the seeds of well-being. They strengthen your immune system, allow you to live longer, and make you more resilient to stress. Well-being strengthens our relationships. Those who feel healthy, happy, and content in their lives make better friends, coworkers, lovers, and life partners. This definition is spot on and I recognize the power of the community is critical for our existence.

I guess my curiosity about relationships for this post started several weeks ago when Isabelle (my daughter) returned to Michigan State University after having a great spring break. It occurred to me that she would be graduating in less than two months and starting her next phase – which I call adulting (a technical term of course😊). I have not been the kind of mom that wished she stayed young forever… it has been fun watching her get her sea legs and be ready to conquer the world. But yet, I was getting faklempted (Yiddish word for choked up, emotional) as I realized we would both be entering a new chapter of life. She, most likely landing in DC, starting her career and then me … WELL NOT SURE YET and I had not given it much thought until now (yikes). A small panic crept in… as I do not have another kid to obsess over to divert this feeling. This is when having only one child is less than ideal… maybe I can adopt quickly(just kidding – that ship sailed)???However, the whole point of this paragraph, I am admitting, I put a few too many eggs in the MOTHER basket (which I swore to myself I would never do) …and now  I need to branch out to reignite some of my relationships to fill an imminent void. 🕳️

For those that know me, I have always been an introvert and am very satisfied and content just staying home with Ella, my pug (she just gets me – we complete each other – ha). I have also felt fortunate that I have acquired an eclectic group of friends that are scattered across our great nation. Thank goodness for technology these days so when I am feeling lonely, I can just text, jump on Facetime which works out perfectly. I do have a few friends that live close to me  but due to my social laziness, the opportunity to see anyone face to face is rare.

One thing I have noticed about relationships is that I am very much a situational girl. I mean, not all friendships serve the same purpose. I was not overtly conscious of the unique filing system I have created over the last decade. Basically, I bucket my friends/family in several categories to meet my varying personal needs. And as I have gotten into energy healing, I recognize now that my organization methods align with the chakra system (energy force) to satisfy when I have deficiencies in certain areas. As a quick tutorial, we have seven main chakras (spinning energy centers/wheels) located in our bodies running from the tailbone up through the top of the head. The lower chakras represent the experience on earth in in our human bodies and then as energy moves up the spine to our eyes and top of the head – it signifies our connection with spirituality. So, after that not so in depth overview of the chakras, here is my secret filing cabinet that becomes a source of direction for me in a time of need as I decide who would be the perfect friend to call.

• Root/Core ❤️ – This chakra represents safety and stability. When I am feeling shaky in this area, I turn to those who have known me for a long time. These are friendships where we can be completely open and honest with no repercussions. We focus our discussion on the good old days and they are the best for affirmations that everything is going to be ok.
• Sacral/ Pleasure 🧡 – This energy zone is about sensuality and creativity. When I need a little more of that, I am quick to hook up with this crew, the ones that want to go out a whoop it up. You want to rock it out – give these folks a call. Yah baby – let’s party.
• Solar Plexus/ Confidence 💛 – Our energy wheel is about personal power. When I am feeling depleted, I turn to this friend group to build me up. These are my pals who have worked with me, know my capabilities and the business world. They direct me to plan, move forward and stop whining.
• Heart/Love 💚 – This chakra is about self-love and cannot be handled by just anyone. This need is reserved for my boyfriend and family who exude love, compassion, and empathy. These are the folks that you want to spend time with when you f-cked up and need to feel worthy again.
• Throat/Truth 💙 – This area focuses on communication and speaking the truth. When you want to have an honest conversation and get in tune with your center. I have a few friends that are bold and can give it to me straight. Not for the feign of hearts that is for sure.
• Third Eye/Crown 💜 – Last but not least, these chakras are attuned with source, spirits, and the universe. I am happy to report that I also have spiritual friends and we can spend hours together tinkering with meditations, journey and exploring our life purpose. We talk about fairies, spirit animals and guides to manifest our desires.

Now, I must be careful with the mix of my chakra friends because pairing them up could lead to catastrophe (not really – just trying to add drama). G-d forbid,  if I mix my Sacral/Pleasure group with my Throat/Truth friends, there could be a buzz kill moment. Say we are all out being silly and then out of nowhere, my Throat friend drops a reality bomb during the most inopportune moment, wrecking a lighthearted night. In another situation, turning to my Third Eye/Spiritual gals to solve a Root/Safety issue could also lead to frustration. If my car breaks down, I need immediate practical help AND not healing (ha-ha just kidding). Let’s just say, the mix matters such as a cocktail or a finely tuned recipe. Just to be clear, I love my friends – I was just trying to be semi funny cause this post seemed a little too serious. 😊

And then I would be remiss without mentioning Ella, my pug, who has her very own category. Let’s just say she is my bestie. Yes, I am the crazy chick carrying my dog around the neighborhood on a daily basis.  But quite honestly these are my favorite times of all. Ella grounds me and also taps me into the universe. She really enhances my life and provides me unconditional love (although … if I was honest her love is conditional, because she can play me for a cookie and a treat like no one else business). Smart and adorable … a winning combination.🐾

Ok, here is the big wrap-up. As human beings, we are wired to be part of a village. Wellness really involves more than diet, exercise but who you spend your time with … your community. Life is a balancing act that we never quite get perfect. I do know that relationships matter on this journey – you can’t do it alone! And because of all the wonderful people in my life, I feel supported, loved and damn grateful. May I also add that all my friends have an enthusiastic sense of humor and will be curious what category they land in, which I will never reveal!!! It’s all good – peace and love to all!! ✌️& 💕