Taking my own advice

So I have mono. Frickin' MONO!

My son's girlfriend had it recently, but I haven’t been kissing her, so I must’ve shared cups or utensils with him or someone else.

I got mono way back in high school per the usual way (ahem), but my immune system is literally broken, so I shouldn't be surprised that I picked it up now.

There’s not much I can do besides hydrate and rest, but there's so much to doooooooo!

These past few days have been a lesson in resting, taking things slow, and letting go. All of that is really hard for me, and I'll need to keep at it for at least 2-4 weeks.

It's probably time I take my own advice on 2 fronts:

Slow and steady wins the race

I always tell people I've learned that advocacy is a marathon, not a sprint.

Running as fast as you can all the time burns you out. It's not sustainable.

I wouldn't say I've been sprinting lately, but I sure haven't been taking breaks. I have a tendency to work, well, most of the time. Like on weekends and while watching TV at night with my husband.

And May has been a doozy of a month: college graduation, lots of travel to Austin, and a freak ​derecho​ in Houston causing massive damage and power outages.

So, universe, I HEAR YOU! I will be slowing down and putting on my oxygen mask first (hopefully not literally), so I can help others. I hope you choose to do the same.

Breathe

Parents of trans kids sometimes feel like they need to have all the answers or figure everything out all at once.

My top advice is always to give yourself some space and grace to breathe and take it easy.

So I should probably listen to myself and accept that everything will turn out OK, even if I need to be sleeping more than working. Even if I've been working on some cool new stuff that has to take a back seat. Even if Pride month is around the corner.

I’ll give myself some grace if you do, too.

I go deeper into this concept in my online course ​Parents of Trans Youth 101​. Check it out if you haven't already!

So if I’m late responding to messages, light on content, or absent at events, you’ll know why. I’ll be sleeping or catching up on TV guilty pleasures (Grey's Anatomy, I wish I knew how to quit you).

Funny movies or series suggestions are welcome! Send ‘em on over.