Needing to Catch My Breath

I need a mental reset. The last few months have been busy, chaotic, and at times overwhelming. Everywhere I turn, it feels like the people I care about are carrying that same weight, also in need of a reset. And while I wish you could reset a person as easily as a computer, I know that’s not how it works. So lately, I’ve been trying to find small moments I can take back for myself, for my mental health, and for my well-being.
A couple of months ago, I started a Patreon. Nothing major, just another outlet where I could share the joys of day-to-day life, random thoughts, and maybe, one day, make a little money from it. With so many nights lately lost to insomnia, I’ve started doing “late night rambles.” Small, almost ASMR-style chats about mostly books. Sometimes I talk about favorite tropes, fictional characters I would defend to my death, or even books that changed my outlook on life. Nothing overly important, just things I love that let my brain take a deep breath. I don’t have any subscribers, but right now that’s not really the point. Right now, it’s just a space to focus on things that make me happy. Things that feel like a breath of fresh air.
The other day, I took the time to get out of the house and go to Barnes & Noble. While I was there, I picked up the Powerless series by Lauren Roberts, and I’m really excited to see if this book is as good as people are saying. I’ve even thought about doing a small blog or podcast series as I read through it, especially since I discovered there’s some controversy surrounding it. Back in 2015, Victoria Aveyard released Red Queen, and apparently there’s a portion of BookTok that claims Powerless is a plagiarized adaptation of it. As someone who loved Red Queen when it first came out, I’m curious to see how much of that claim holds up and how much can just be chalked up to common genre tropes.
I also did something I haven’t done in years. I logged back into Edelweiss, a site where you can request advanced reader copies (ARCs) of books before they’re released to the public. Over the years, I’ve requested a few ARCs and written reviews here and there. Well, the same Victoria Aveyard I mentioned earlier has a new book coming out. While I’m not necessarily a fan of her as a person, I do enjoy her writing. So I requested her new book, Tempest, and got an email the other day that I was approved to read and review it. I’m genuinely excited to dive into it.
The last thing I’ve been holding onto for a bit of peace is writing. Whether it’s my journal, this blog, my book, or even writing exercises with ChatGPT, those small moments where I get to create something with words bring a kind of calm I desperately need. I don’t always write anything profound, but watching a page fill up still feels like an accomplishment on the days that feel heavy. And I’ll take those small wins wherever I can get them.
On the days, weeks, months, and even years that feel overwhelming, I find myself watching my prayer list grow. I think I’m in one of those seasons right now. If any part of this week’s blog resonates with you, and you need someone to pray for you, feel free to leave a comment. We could all use a few more people lifting us up, especially when we feel tired, defeated, or a little lost.