Boots on the Ground: The Self-Care Is Mine Reset. Reclaim. RISE

Brandy was right — “Almost doesn’t count.” And for a long time, that’s exactly what my self-care was: an almost.

As a single mom of four kids — and as if that wasn’t already overwhelming — I took on two more teenagers, my niece and her best friend. That made six kids in the house. I was substitute teaching, doing Instacart runs, working overnights at Kids TLC, braiding hair on the side, and grinding through my master’s program and internship.

I was on autopilot. Some nights after juggling all those jobs and clients, I’d sit in the car too tired to even walk inside. My patience was gone, and most of the time I was parenting from my phone — barking orders while driving to and from school or sliding into a church pew. I was with my kids every day, but I wasn’t really with them. I was just surviving. Running on fumes.

So I came up with Self-Care Fridays. Every Friday, I made the kids leave the house, didn’t see clients, and didn’t work. It was just me. Sometimes a bubble bath. Sometimes silence. Sometimes hanging out with the girls. And sometimes, I just slept.

It helped for a while. But let’s be real — one day a week wasn’t enough. I hit a wall, and it hit back. I needed something every single day to keep me standing. Running on Fumes

“I got six jobs, I don’t get tired.” That lyric was my life — except the truth was, I did get tired.

Some nights after working all my jobs and seeing clients, I couldn’t even get out of the car when I pulled up at home. I’d sit there, mind drained, and no energy to climb the stairs and get in bed.

My patience with the kids was gone. I was what I call a popcorn parent. I would pop in, bark orders, give instructions, do some warming up, and pop right back out.

Most of the time, the only real moments I had with my kids were when we drove to and from school and when we attended church together. I was with my kids every single day, but I wasn’t really with them. I was just surviving and running on fumes.

The Aha Moment Hit Hard

It took a vacation for me to finally slow down. No clients. No overnight shifts. No six jobs pulling me in six different directions. Just me and my kids.

And when I really looked at them, I noticed things I hadn’t before — the way they laughed, the everyday changes I had been too tired to notice before, and who they were becoming. It hit me that even though I saw them every day, I didn’t really know them. I was missing who they were becoming right in front of me.

Monica said, “It’s just one of those days, don’t take it personal.”

But for me? It wasn’t just another day. And I couldn’t help but take it personal — because it was.

That moment showed me I couldn’t just wait until Friday to care for myself. If I wanted to show up as a mom, a woman, and a therapist, self-care had to become part of my daily life — not just a once-a-week Friday Xscape. My Self-Care Boots

Sis, self-care is like boots — you can’t put ’em on once a week and think they’ll carry you. You gotta lace them up daily, because they give you foundation, protection, and stability.

Foundation Boot → For me, that’s the gym. Moving my body gets me grounded from the ground up. And listen — it’s not just about the workout. When you move, your body releases endorphins — those natural feel-good chemicals that boost your mood, fight stress, and refill your energy tank. That’s why this boot keeps me solid.

Protection Boot → My mornings start with prayer, devotion, and journaling. That’s my check-in time with me and God before I give myself to anybody else. It keeps my spirit covered and my peace protected, no matter what the day throws at me.

Stability Boot → And then there’s my peppermint tea. That zesty little kick wakes me up, resets me, and reminds me to fix my crown and walk out the door as the queen I was designed to be. That’s my steady step.

And here’s the truth — when I skip my boots, everybody feels it. My patience gets thin, my mind races, and I slide right back into survival mode. But when I lace them up? I’m steady. I’m joyful. I’m ready. Your Day-One Relationship

If I asked you, “What’s the most important relationship in your life?” what would you say?

Most women would say: God, my kids, my spouse, my family, my friends. And that makes sense — those are usually the relationships we pour the most energy into.

But the truth is, there’s only one relationship we start and finish life with — and it’s the one we neglect the most.

Our relationship with SELF.

Sis, it’s time to stop neglecting the one relationship that carries you through it all. Boots on the Ground: The Self-Care Is Mine (FREE Rooftop Kickoff)

Brandy reminded us, “Almost doesn’t count.” And for too long, that’s how we’ve treated our self-care — like an almost. Monica said, “It’s just one of those days, don’t take it personal.” But for women like us? It’s always personal.

That’s why we’re claiming it out loud: The Self-Care Is Mine.

Join me on Sunday, September 21st from 4:30 PM to 7:00 PM for the Boots on the Ground Rooftop Kickoff — a FREE open house event for women.

This isn’t just a rooftop vibe. This is the beginning of a movement — us proclaiming together that Self-Care Is Mine.

It’s also the official launch of our Fall Women’s Self-Care Programming at Rise Up Resiliency Center. At the kickoff, you’ll get:

-Door prizes

- Self-care packages

- Candid discussions on what self-care looks like for women

- Light refreshments

-A first look at all of RURC Therapy’s fall programs for women

Dress Code: Western Glam (cowboy hats, denim, rhinestones, boots — because we’re turning resilience into style).

And sis, this is your moment. To put your boots on the ground. To rise. To reset. To reclaim.

We spend so much time pouring into others — kids, family, friends, and work — that we forget the one relationship we start and finish life with: our relationship with self. Download the worksheet

— Sade Garr, MA, LCPC, NCC