In today's fast-paced world, it's easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of work, social obligations, and daily responsibilities. While being busy and productive can be fulfilling, neglecting our own needs and well-being can lead to burnout, stress, and a sense of exhaustion. Prioritizing self-care and achieving a healthy work-life balance is crucial for our mental and physical health, relationships, and overall happiness. By taking time for ourselves, we can recharge, refocus, and return to our daily tasks with renewed energy and motivation. Whether it's reading a book, taking a walk, practicing yoga, or simply enjoying a quiet cup of coffee, making time for self-care allows us to cultivate a sense of calm, clarity, and purpose. By striking a balance between our professional and personal lives, we can live more authentic, meaningful, and fulfilling lives.

I have begun to attempt to reintegrate this into my own life in just small steps to start. I have started ensuring I read before bedtime, as opposed to "doom scrolling", social media idling, or viewing potential shopping opportunities online (looking at you KikiCrystal).

So far I have completed a book that I honestly started LAST YEAR. It was called The Unspoken Name by A. K. Larkwood. Upon reflection, I can see why I put this book down. I did not find the character endearing, she was very one-dimensional and the "love interest" was half-hearted and predictable. There was a lack of description for setting, making it based heavily on situations and conversation to build the mental image of their surroundings. It was a fairly boring read, filled with blots of action/violence and a very quick ending (once you got to it). I appreciated that the ending was kind of left open, as the characters deserved to have some freedom/freewill at the end. This is a book I will be interring to the local community roadside library.

Next on the docket is Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas. Now, this is an author that I have been actively avoiding - due to her recent "BookTok", Instagram etc. fame for her other series (A Crown of Thorns and Roses). I am not one to fall into the "fads". Ironically, I have had the complete ACOTAR series, and have for YEARS -- it was in a box of books given to me by a friend when she was cleaning out her over populated shelves; as such, I do not quite understand why a series that is almost 15 years old is suddenly in the spotlight. But hey, congrats to the author on getting some good PR.

I started this trek with Sarah J. Maas only because in that box of many books was the LAST book in the other series by this author as well. This is the series NOT plastered all over the internet. As such, I thought, why not? But! As I only have the last book, I figured I should start with the first. Although I could probably borrow this from the library, I decided if I could find a secondhand copy for cheaper than new (since the new price is about twice what I expected for a paperback going on 15 years old), why not? Worst case when I pass on the book I did have, at least whoever I passed it to would also have the chance to form a reasonable opinion.

Thanks to Facebook marketplace, I found an original print paperback copy for $15 from a young lady in Caledonia - and bonus, when I went to pick it up she decided I could have it for nothing, as she had planned on giving it away anyway! Woot!

So now, Throne of Glass sits on my bedside table. I read chapter 1 last night and... we shall see. the main character comes off as overly confident and egotistical. Not sure that will work for me, but to be fair she starts off in a salt mine, so she had already been knocked down a peg in the grand scheme.

We shall see how this progresses.

Hope you too are able to slow it down a bit and remember that it is OKAY to put yourself first sometimes.