In-Between: Winter Wonderlands

It’s snowing in Georgia again! My inner child can’t contain itself, so that’s the reason the episode is late. I am who I am! 

Speaking of snow, we’re still in the thick of winter. Animals are still hibernating. Crops haven’t begun to sprout. It got me thinking, sometimes we need to hibernate too. When we enter a slower season, where there’s only so much we can deal with, sometimes we need to “hibernate.”  Handle what you can handle. Focus on what you can focus on. I share more of my musings on this in the episode, as well as the importance of prioritizing your own happiness is the most important thing you can do for yourself. (Sometimes choosing you means hibernating. Now you’re starting to get my point!)

That’s the deep stuff…I’m also sharing my personal goals for this year, my neighborhood hero escapade in the snow, and my upcoming trip to Norway. 

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Transcript

RODECaster Pro Multichannel: 0:05

Hey, hey, hey, welcome back to another episode of the in between. I'm your host Elizabeth Cheney. Yes, I came back two weeks later like I said I was. I'm very proud of me. I don't know if you are, but I am proud of me. And that's all that matters. I am proud of me. Well, welcome back. Uh, don't know what's going on in your world. Uh, we had the inauguration this week. That's about the acknowledgement I will give to that. It also snowed here in Georgia. Uh, second time in two weeks. It was great. Part of why this episode is slightly delayed is because, well, this 33 year old child had to go play in the snow. Speaking of 33, fun fact, I saw this on the internet. The oldest millennial will soon be 44. Let that soak in all my millennial babies. The oldest millennial is going to be 44 this year. Huh? Makes me feel a little old, just a little bit, even though I'm like 10 years from that. Also, how long are generations? I thought they were like 10 years, but what do I know? Not much. Apparently so 44 years old, oldest millennial, it also snowed in some weird areas, like New Orleans, for example. New Orleans got, what, over a foot of snow. Gulf Shores, Alabama got 8 to 10 inches. Florida got tons of snow. South Georgia, Savannah. It's a little weird out there. It's a little, um, let's just say the areas that don't get snow got snow. A little peculiar out there, but you know, that's okay. This is not a conversation on climate change or global warming. I did see this thing on the internet, so of course it's definitely true. I hope you've sensed my sarcasm. Uh, but jokes aside, who knows if this was real or not, but it was definitely a nice thought. So I will say this, they were talking about winter and mother earth, probably one of the weird woo woo things I follow. And they, she was saying that, Sometimes extreme weather, winter conditions, is because Earth is cooling off. And now that I say that out loud After already acknowledging or admitting the fact that this was probably from some wooboo thing I follow, that's insane, but it's a nice, it's a nice thought, right? It's a nice thought that global, global warming, climate change, psh, no, it's just Earth cooling off. She got a little too hot. She's like, oh, let me, let me put the AC on here. Uh, but you know, like I said, it's a nice thought. Who knows what the facts are and maybe there is some truth to it, you know? I like to think of the universe as one big giant living organism So planet Earth is essentially that itself a giant living organism Which kind of makes sense if you think about all of us living on here, but you know, maybe it is Earth trying to take a, take a beat, cool off, because we are pumping out so much heat here. Crazy weather. Crazy weather. I'm not going to complain though, because I do love the snow. It's been a lot of fun. But anyways, I was a local hometown hero yesterday when it started snowing. And I want to preface this by saying all the news people made it seem like it wasn't really going to snow. It was going to be not a big deal. Business as usual. Then it snowed a lot more than they thought it was going to, which is always, oh, when you're here in Georgia, because guess what? We don't know how to handle it. We don't know how to drive in the snow. We do not salt our roads the way that they should be salted. So it's a little hairy out there. so I was walking the neighborhood. This was like early afternoon ish. And. I'm talking to one of my girlfriends on the phone. And I see somebody struggling to get up the hill. And this was right around the time, but it was like, Ooh, you're either going to make it or you don't. Because again, it snowed way more than we thought it was going to. So, you know, be, be glad that you at least made it to the neighborhood kind of thing. And I see another person, another woman helping this person try to push their car. And she's struggling because it's ice. It's snowing. I don't know. I just felt like, look at these, look at this woman helping this other woman in the car. I am a woman. Let me go help said women of the neighborhood. And, you know. Save the day. I'm just kidding. That wasn't my, my intention, but it was, let me go see if I can help. So me and this girl, we're trying to push the car up the hill because basically the person was like maybe six feet from their turn and then their house was right there. So I was like, no, we got this. I'm going to help. Cause she was like, I can just park it on the road. And I'm like, no, there's going to be more people that are going to get stuck. You live right there. We got this. Well, I spoke before I realized how slippery it was. So as we are pushing, I'm like, you know, slipping and sliding, like the Flintstones, like, and I am trying to keep my cool. Cause I'm the one that just like empowered everyone to try this one more time because now we have a third party involved. So I can't really extend my arms all the way, or else I will completely face plant on the ice. So I'm having to keep my arms restricted, but Keep them strong, obviously, because I'm trying to push, and if I kept them, like, restricted, I had enough momentum with strength to push, but not slip. However, right when we were about to get her to the turn, I bumped my chin on the car hood. Well, not the hood, the trunk. Thankfully, it didn't hurt too much. Maybe I was in denial because it was so cold, but I was like, Oh, I'm fine, nothing, just a scratch. We're going to keep going. Jokes aside, The fair maiden made it to her house. She made it to the turn, and we got that sucker, we got, or I should say, me and my new friend Elena, got that car up, up the hill and down the road. So, you know, I'm not gonna call myself a hero. I'll leave that to y'all. But I will say, mm, it felt good to do a good thing. I felt so empowered after that. I was like, you know what? Nothing can rain on my parade. And I made two new friends in the neighborhood, which is something that I've been dying to do. So that was great. Two new friends who are also my age. So it's like a double whammy. Love that, for me. So, and I felt the weather. Even though the weather has been insane. Again, 44 year old millennial, have fun with that fun fact. I, I definitely cried about it. I'm just kidding, I definitely did not cry about it. And if you're crying about it Age is just a number, baby. Age is just a number. Don't be afraid to get older. Life just keeps getting better. And we will, uh, we will fact check that and see how I feel 10 years from now when I am 44. But, you know, neither here nor there. Neither here nor there. So, what's new? What's going on? last conversation I kind of talked about, hey, my life imploded. Can't give you too much of that right now, but don't worry, we'll get there soon enough. We talked about the words of the year, and I picked three. Becoming, possibility, expansion. And I have to say, I'm really leaning in towards possibility and expansion more. Um, more so, expansion. So let's just see how they evolve. I've got all three still on my board and maybe it's just like an ebb and flow of the year, you know, but a few other goals that I want to do cause I didn't make a vision board this year nor did I have a vision board party, but I want to learn piano and at least want to learn pink pony club. Don't ask me why I have this specific vision and dream of me singing that song, playing piano, living my best life. Everyone's around singing the song with me. It's the best. form of community I can think of in the moment, and I just want that moment for myself. So, on the quote, end quote, vision board, there is Liz Learns Pink Pony Club on the piano. will she learn other songs? I hope so. Uh, but that is the main focus. It's definitely something I still want to do. Uh, I would like to learn a yoga handstand. Maybe not one with my full arms extended because that seems impossible, but you know when you're like on your forearms or whatever. That would be great. Duolingo. I'd love to pick back up my Spanish lessons. You know, at one point, I could ask, where is the airport? I couldn't tell you that right now, but at one point last year, I could. So, it'd be great to bring that back up. Create more content. That's always a goal. I think as things in my life start to settle, the dust starts to clear, so to speak. I'll get better at that, but definitely going to bring more fashion content and, you know, in a forever pursuit of my dreams, ambitions, and goals, making the world a better place, spreading self love. I know, not simple. She is not a simple girl. She will never be a simple girl no matter how much she wishes she could be. But, you know I'm learning to embrace the whole no chill vibe and the whole like, I love life vibe. So, there's always one in the group and I guess that's me. Um, I can't remember if I mentioned this on the last episode, but I am going to Norway. We're going, I say we because me and my girlfriend Ashley Anna are going to Norway in March, gonna have the winter wonderland. I can't wait. It's going to be spiritual. It's going to be healing. It's going to be beautiful. And I'm going to get my snow fix as I took up the first part of this whole episode was just talking about geeking out about really the snow. I can't wait to have my winter wonderland in Norway from snowballing. fjords, all the things, the food, the snow. I just can't wait. I just can't wait. We talked about maybe doing an episode while we're there, but that would require me to figure out how to record like that remotely and equipment and all that. But maybe, maybe I'll pull through. Maybe she'll, she'll get it all together. Cause wouldn't that be epic? Especially if it was like at night and then we had the Aurora Borealis behind us. I mean, that would be like. Such a, bunch of different things to happen all at once. Most importantly, me figuring out how to record, but you never know. You never know, because what's the word of the year? Possibility. The possibilities are endless. That's definitely one. It's possible. But enough about winter. Well, not really about winter. Kind of continuing to speak about winter, but enough about the weather. With winter comes hibernating, right? A lot of animals hibernate, bears hibernate. Side note, if you want a fun little thing to do, you should Google bears pre hibernation and post hibernation. It's quite an interesting, um, before and after shot. Very, I forget who told me to do that. I feel like that was recently, like in the past year. But anyways, I did it and I was like, whoa! That bear is looking kind of ragged and very skinny versus it's super, super like seven times plump size before. So if you want a little giggle, Google it pre hibernation, post hibernation bears. But anyways, back to hibernating. So all that to say winter cold things slow down. Um, Things die, in a way, to be reborn, right? And this kind of ties into what I talked about last time about life imploding and you just have to take things moment by moment, day by day, whatever measurement you need in your situation. that's how I am viewing my current season. January, I mean we're almost done with January and it's been very slow. A lot of things that I was hoping to have made progress on, um, in my life, haven't quite got there. But part of that is because, well, you know, these things take time. You can't figure everything out all at once, no matter how much I wish we could. February is probably going to be a little bit slower, but things are going to start to improve, start to pick up, start to feel a little bit more energetically Sound awake for myself, especially and then I feel like March that's when things are really going to start flying and flowing I mean March is gonna kick off with my Norway trip. So I'm sure that helps but all this to say hibernating It's okay to hibernate It's okay to just Go slow Be at peace Take time do things as They come versus trying to do all the things all at once You know, when life gives you radical change, hits you with that, Whoa! Everything is different. Nothing is the same. It's okay to hibernate. It's okay to choose you and take care of your needs. And as we get along in the year, as we move along, move forward, I'm gonna start to share more about what's going on in my life. And in this hibernating phase, season I'm in, lots of introspection, lots of Perspective shifts, if you will. And one big thing that I have learned in all of this is no matter how hard it is, choosing your own happiness, choosing you is the most important thing you can do for yourself. Sometimes it's the hardest thing you can do, especially if you're a nurturer, especially if you're a giver, especially if you're a lover, especially if you see the good in everybody, And you want what's best for everyone. Sometimes choosing you, choosing your own happiness is really hard. And I hope that with the in between and my message and what I am trying to do here in the world and whatever, the little, little corner of the internet that I take up, I hope that I can show you that choosing you no matter how hard it is, how hard it can be, is the only option for you. Because everything that you want in life, all the abundance, all the happiness, all the joy, all the peace, everything is on the other side of you choosing you. Maybe not all at once, and you probably definitely can't see it all there. And this could be in any, any area of your life, your work, where you live, your family, your friends, your partner. So in these seasons of slow, in these seasons of hibernating, and coincidentally mine does line up with winter. As a planner, your girl really appreciates that. But during these seasons, I do encourage you to check in with yourself. Where are you pushing yourself too hard? Where are you not choosing yourself? I mentioned last time I'm rereading Untamed. I'm almost finished, you know, taking my time with it, soaking in all the good, the good energy of that text that I can. And one of the chapters I just finished, Glennon was talking about her anger and how your anger is almost always a projection from within. I'm not saying the person doesn't deserve the anger or with a situation doesn't deserve the anger. But you need to check in with yourself on where that anger is coming from. Where is that anger better directed? Are you angry right now? What's going on? Why are you not happy? What things in your life can you change? What things can you not? Are you sad? Are you filling up your cup? Or are you filling into everyone else's? Check in with yourself. It's an easy idea, but it's so hard to do sometimes, especially in the hustle and bustle of life, even in the slower seasons. Heck, sometimes even the slower seasons, it's harder because you're bogged down with other stuff. so my advice for you this week, these next two weeks, if you're in those seasons, a season of change, a season of slowing down, a season of hibernating. A season of, I just need to be at the moment. It's okay. In most places in the world, if you look out, everything's dead right now. Everything's sleeping. Getting ready to boast a plentiful, bountiful spring and summer. The year's just getting started, there's still time to crush your goals. There's still time to do all the things that you want to do. There's still time for you to learn the piano and learn pink bunny club and have your freaking moment. There's still time. Just make sure you're choosing you. That's all that I ask. All right, got a little deep, that felt good. Got my, got my mojo back. Um, you know, I just had a random thought. So looking at my backyard, looking out at my backyard, excuse me, there's lots of wildlife. I'm not used to that from the city city because, well, there's just buildings everywhere and the wildlife is limited. So there's like lots of little birds and critters out there, and there's lots of woodpeckers. And, you know, when you start thinking about something too hard, it either Makes you realize how weird something is or how funny something is, or just however something is in a woodpecker that is the most accurate animal name, woodpecker. It literally is named what it does. It pecks wood. A woodpecker. What a weird animal name, but also so on point, so specifically, so specific, interesting. I say that I'm like, well, a blue footed booby, which I know that's such a weird bird name too. That is what it is too. It's a blue footed booby. So I don't know. I don't know all that to say, woodpeckers, blue footed boobies, Robins, cardinals, there's lots of animals in the world. And I have reached that point in my life where I now love staring out into nature and the animals doing their thing. So You know what? As I say that, I guess my hibernation period is also entering my grandma era. I don't hate it. I don't hate it. So, on that note, I'm gonna let you go. I hope you have a great, wonderful rest of the next couple of weeks. I hope to have some movement and change in my life. Some progress. Some things done. Some tasks tasked. Some to do's done. Right, right. and yeah. Next time we talk will probably be February. And, man. We're already moving on to the, into the year, it's a 20, 25, and I still can't stop saying 2024. So see, there's always room to grow. Well, if you're not doing so already, you can follow me on Instagram at end up between pod and Elizabeth Cheney underscore on YouTube at the in between podcast and on Tik TOK, which went away, then came back and then it went away. And then it was here and I don't even know what's going on with it. Do I trust it? Probably not, but you can still find me there at the in between podcast and Share this with a friend, share this with your neighbor, share this with your aunt or your mother or your, your sister, I don't know. Share it with somebody because your girl needs to grow. So, that's all she wrote. In other news, I will talk to you here soon. I'm Elizabeth. Bye!