Happy Thursday, team!

Today I want to share with you one of my favorite quotes from Bruce Lee:

"Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless - like water. Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup, you put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle, you put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend."

Water is flexible in many ways and can basically take the shape of anything it encounters. Sometimes we can overlook the fact that water is abundant in this world and is the center of all living things - about 71% of the Earth's surface is covered in water and the human body is made up of 50-75% water.

Over time, stress and anxiety can put constraints on us and prevent us from reaching our full potential if they are not handled correctly. It is important to take time to address and maintain our stress levels. By freeing our minds and being more flexible, we can be like water, too, and have the adaptability to face any challenges.

If anyone hasn’t already noticed, this month has been a little hectic. Among reviews, the RegCF campaign coming to a close, inventory, the photoshoot (just to name a few) we’ve definitely been on full steam ahead the past few weeks. A lot of times I use the loop to provide life hacks for working harder or more efficiently, but this time I’d like to talk about ways in which to do the exact opposite of that. I won’t beat you over the head with statistics about how unhealthy prolonged periods of stress are on the body and mind..we already know it can be bad for you. So I’d like to take this opportunity to remind you guys that we really do encourage time off. While it may even be scary for some to contemplate taking time off, it’s important to note that there may never be an ideal time to take a needed break..so if that's what you're waiting for, stop.

That means that carving out that time is even more important. Set a date in the future for a few days, and stick to it. Work with your managers and team (obviously letting them know well in advance) to cover the workload while you’re away, and unplug yourself from SlideBelts. I promise you, the business won’t come crashing down in your absence...if it’s only for a few days that is (;