I’ve been meaning to post for the last several weeks, and I’m finally here. I was mostly busy judging the writing ideas that came to mind and, ya know, getting in my own way—something I think most of us can relate to. I’ve also been pretty sick for the past several weeks.

This morning I was thinking about the idiom, “under the weather,” and how I’ve never heard anyone say they’re “over/above the weather.” Ah, I just looked it up and, without doing much to verify, it seems “under the weather” originated when ill sailors were sent below deck to recover from what ailed them. FUN FACT ABOUT FEELING CRAPPY!

I often try to minimize health issues for two primary reasons. One, I don’t like it when people feel sorry for me. (Send me well wishes, yes, but no pity, please!) And, two, I’ve never wanted my identity to revolve around illness, and if that becomes the dominating topic in my life, I get angry. But, for transparency’s sake, I caught a cold or virus of some kind several weeks ago, and it has rocked my world. I’m on oral antibiotics and STEROIDZ and am optimistic I can avoid IV meds for the holidays. The past few days I’ve been trending in the right direction. Steroid magic!  

Fatigue has forced me to slow down, and, now that I’m not coughing nonstop, I can appreciate the gentle reminder that being “busy” isn’t a badge of pride. It reminds me of a quote from creativity expert Chase Jarvis:

“Busy isn’t success. It’s a lack of priority.”

Amen.

Even though I’ve encountered some anxiety and fear about my health in recent weeks, the forced slowdown has brought me greater inner peace. I’ve eliminated the unnecessary to give my body time to heal and reset. In the process, I’ve reconnected with the fact that I crave simplicity. I used to stay as busy as possible to avoid sitting with myself in silence, but that wasn’t an effective strategy for me. My calendar was full, but I never felt satisfied.

Maybe this was a perfectly timed reminder about what to prioritize in 2026:

Embrace the slower pace!