Like many families, my husband and I have been home with our three daughters-ages 12, 2.5, and 10 months-since the onset of the pandemic. It was a good evening, one I've needed for so long-energy I've been deeply missing. That act of love brought tears to my eyes, and does now, as I type this.

She self-isolated for two weeks to ensure she'd be set to visit the kids and me. Having a quarantine birthday was like every other day in quarantine except with cake and my dearest friend coming over with Jamaican food and said cake (that she baked from scratch), her mask on and ready to spend time together. On July 25th, I turned thirty-one years old. Today, it's an honor to share this digital space with Alex, where she reflects on joy, ease, gratitude, grief, and cake.

She's an embodiment of sincerity-one of our core values at East Fork-speaking her truth so thoughtfully and always opening the door for others to speak theirs. Hers is an internal barometer-fine-tuned from practice-that tells her when to stop, take stock, reflect, write, rewrite, act. Hers is forgiveness as a tool for self-preservation. An indispensable practice for being in right relationship with your children, your lovers, your community, your self.Īlex walks through her world so differently than I do mine-which is why I pay such close attention to her and see her as a teacher. Self-care isn't a buzzword for Alex–it's a necessary tool for growing and maintaining self-love. Her fourth book, After the Rain, is available for pre-order here. She's the author of Neon Soul and other books, and the host of the hey,girl podcast, which I popped onto last fall.

If you're not one of the 834k people who follow her on Instagram, let me catch you up to speed: Alex is a storyteller, poet, facilitator & wellness consultant living in the Washington, DC area, with her husband, Ryan, and three daughters. We're turning the newsletter over to our friend Alexandra Elle. Today we're taking a break from our usual stuff-chatter and extending an invitation, instead, to hit the pause button.

Neon Soul by Alexandra Elle