Rediscovering My Sparkle

We all go through phases in life where we feel like we've lost our spark - that inner light that makes us uniquely us. I've been there, feeling like a dimmed version of myself, going through the motions without really living. 

 It didn't happen overnight. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, I started to lose touch with the things that once brought me joy. My laughter became less frequent, my passions less intense. I found myself saying "no" to opportunities. My razz-dazzle was gone.

I was losing my sparkle, and I didn't even realize it until it was almost gone. I had lived YEARS being content without acknowledging a piece of myself was missing. 

The Journey Back

Rediscovering myself wasn't easy. It required introspection, honesty, and a willingness to make changes. Here are some steps that helped me along the way:

1. Reconnecting with old passions: I began a reading streak and started taking time daily to sit down with a good book for enjoyment. Not a book for personal growth, to learn something new, but a book that took me out of my headspace and let me rekindle my passion for the avid reader I had been since childhood.
2. Trying new things: I signed up for a pole fitness classes, something I'd always wanted to try but never made time for. Most people would look at me funny about this new workout obsession, but it is honestly the most entertaining workout I have ever done. I enjoyed it so much that the classes flew by and it helped to remind myself that I was a woman and fall in love with my body and it's amazing abilities all over again.
3. Surrounding myself with positive people: I sought out friends who lifted me up and inspired me to be my best self. I didn't need a lot of people to like me, which is hard to admit as a people pleaser. I needed a core group of women who understood who I am at my core.
4. Saying "yes" more often: I pushed myself out of my comfort zone, accepting invitations and opportunities I might have previously declined. Can I just say my summer has been jammed with brewery hopping, baseball games, bbqs, concerts...etc. Things I enjoyed but hadn't done in years.
   
   

The Rekindling

Slowly but surely, I started to feel more like myself again. 

My sparkle wasn't gone - it had just been buried under layers of routine, stress, and neglect.  I did this to myself without even realizing it. 

There were setbacks. Days when I would question whether I was capable of ever feeling like myself again. But through the struggle, I learned the most valuable lesson: I didn’t need to return to who I once was. I needed to rediscover and redefine who I was becoming.

I realized that losing my sparkle wasn’t the end; it was an opportunity to grow. It was an invitation to reconnect with the person I was becoming, rather than clinging to the person I once was.

Losing your sparkle doesn’t mean it’s gone forever. Sometimes, it just means you need to slow down, tune in, and give yourself the space to heal and grow. Be patient with yourself. Your sparkle is still there, waiting for you to find it again—

XoXo-Sam