By the time you read this, our grand reopening celebration will be behind us. But for me, it hasn’t happened yet. I’m writing this before it even begins! What I can tell you is that as excited as I am to celebrate, I also realize I’m running on fumes.

I’ll be in Maine for the next two weeks, hanging with family and friends and enjoying the fall colors. This trip has become an annual tradition for me. But this year, it feels different—I really feel like I *need* it. It has been a hectic year, filled with many highs and some definite lows. 

As my energy has drained and my thoughts have gotten cloudy over the past few days, I’ve been thinking about the old “chicken or the egg” question. Which came first? In my case, am I running out of steam because I know my vacation is near, or did I plan the vacation because I sensed I would need it?

It’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of life: moving locations, updating websites, writing books, letting go of old dreams, and building new ones. But when I slow down, I recognize that it’s not just about me—it’s also an intense time *globally*. There’s so much happening in the world that’s concerning, scary, or just plain overwhelming. 

No wonder so many of us are feeling exhausted. We’re all interconnected. Even as we focus on our personal to-do lists, we’re subconsciously tuned in to the collective energy. It’s always there—it’s “the water we swim in,” as they say. Whether we realize it or not, the weight of everything happening around us impacts us.

So, I have no doubt that some of my exhaustion stems from this larger, global intensity. But there’s another piece of the puzzle that we often overlook—*our personal well-being*.

Taking care of our own energy is vital. I’ve come to believe that the way we make the biggest impact on the world is by authentically living in alignment with our highest joy—by simply being our Light. That’s how we contribute to the collective consciousness in the most meaningful way.

But sometimes, living in our Light means knowing when to step back. We need to give ourselves permission to pause, to rest, to recharge. It’s not about avoiding what’s happening around us; it’s about understanding that *we* are part of the solution, and that starts with taking care of ourselves.

So if you’re feeling close to your own edge, I hope you’ll give yourself the gift of “you-time.” It’s not selfish—it’s essential. The world needs you at your best, and that means taking the time to recover, recharge, and reconnect with your inner joy.