A week or so ago my husband Alex and I took half the day off to go to Frederik Meijer Gardens for their annual Butterflies in Bloom event. In the three years we’ve lived in Grand Rapids, we’ve never been. We of course have talked about it, but always found some excuse as to why we were just too busy to go.

Now my mental health journey is no secret to regular readers around these parts. And in an effort to actively work on bettering my mental state, I’ve taken a lot more care with myself. More breaks, more understanding, and more love. 
It was so easy to push aside whatever work we had that day to go see the butterflies. A lot easier I think than either one of us expected. We’re so consumed by work that we barely come up for air. The break felt more than just a break, it felt like a rediscovery of what really matters.

Alex and I bought ourselves a membership to Frederik Meijer so we can go back anytime we want throughout the year. We’re making a conscious effort to put our mental health and relationship at the forefront, rather than constantly pushing them aside for more work. 
I guess the point of this post is to act as a reminder to take a break, do something you’ve talked about doing but haven’t made the time for it yet, and remember what really matters. It’s something I think we all have to actively work on…and you can bet that I am.