handling disappointment + honoring your body even when it's hard

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Happy UnWind Wednesday 💛

I’m back from a one-week vacation that took me from Washington D.C., to Atlanta to Mardi Gras and back to ATL(before DC again) — ending with the ultimate self-care day to close out my time away.

My days were filled with walking, parades (yes, including Bourbon Street), laughter, and indulging in all the things that don’t always make the “wellness” list — including the best crawfish I’ve ever had.

But underneath the fun, I knew I needed a reset.

Stress had been living in my muscles. I hadn’t carved out time for my own workouts. Job rejections and uncertainty about what’s next kept my mind moving a mile a minute. When I received the rejection from a role I truly believed was mine, disappointment didn’t just sit in my thoughts — it settled in my body.

Tight shoulders. A heavy lower back. A neck that refused to soften.

My body was asking me to listen.

Once I returned to Atlanta, I leaned into care that felt necessary. A restorative massage helped release layers of tension I help along my right side, starting at the base of neck flowing down to my lower back.

After the massage, I tried acupuncture for the first time which felt both relaxing and also a bit of a waste of money to be honest. That same evening, I attended my friend's yoga class (Georgia, who you all will meet next week) that feel great for my mobility and shoulder strength.

The tightness I experienced reminded me that honoring your body isn’t about perfection — it’s about responsiveness.

And sometimes, that care can be simple.

Here are 3 gentle stretches I’ve been using to reset when life feels heavy in the body.

1. Child’s Pose with Side Reach (Lower back + lats)

This stretch creates immediate spaciousness through the low back and sides of the body — areas where stress often accumulates.

How to:

• Knees wide, hips back toward heels

• Walk hands forward, then gently over to one side

• Breathe into the ribcage for 3–5 slow breaths

• Repeat on the other side

  
  

✨ Think: creating room to exhale what you’ve been carrying.

2. Seated Neck Release (Neck + shoulders)

Perfect for releasing the emotional and mental weight that settles around the neck and traps.

How to:

• Sit tall, one hand rests gently on the head

• Tilt ear toward shoulder without pulling

• Opposite arm reaches long toward the floor

• Hold for 5 breaths each side

  
  

✨ Think: softening, not forcing.

3. Figure-4 Stretch (Hips + low back)

The hips are often called the body’s emotional storage space. This stretch offers grounding and relief simultaneously.

How to:

• Lie on your back, cross ankle over opposite thigh

• Draw legs toward chest

• Relax shoulders and breathe deeply for 5 breaths

• Switch sides

✨ Think: allowing support while you release.

Disappointment is human. Uncertainty is human. Slowing down when everything feels urgent is human.

Honoring your body during those moments is an act of trust.

Trust that rest is productive.Trust that tension can be softened. Trust that even when the path forward isn’t clear, your body can still be a place of safety.

If today feels heavy, consider this your permission to pause, stretch, and breathe — even for a few minutes.

Your reset doesn’t have to be dramatic. It just has to be intentional.

What has your body been asking for lately? 💫