Our Story

I didn't realize it then, but Connected Cricket started with a personal wellness journey.

I was tired and unmotivated.

When my journey began, I had been working over 60 hours per week for MONTHS.....

AND, I had an independent teenager at home, but she still needs me. And, I have a husband who's hungry and tired after a long day. And I have 2 fur babies that need attention.....AND,

I need to stop to get something for dinner, too! See, I told you I was tired!

I could feel the burnout. It was a slow thing I knew was lurking and creeping in on me, but BAM, it hit me like a bus. I found myself fatigued and exhausted, but insomnia was showing it's ugly face. I was in pain, but not a specific pain; it was the kind that just is 'there'. My hair was falling out. I was hungry, but didn't want to cook. I didn't want to leave the house. EVER. I was STRESSED out.....and so was my family.

After trips to the doctor, lab work up after lab work up, we discovered that there was nothing physically wrong with me. I was stumped. My doctor had suggested that I give therapy a shot. Uh.....what.....? I thought I was just in a little funk, but I was willing to try anything.

I scheduled my first therapy appointment not knowing where we were going to start, and it was life changing! Week after week of self-discovery led me to understand a few things:

1) Aromatherapy is AMAZING!

2) We can't be all things to all people all the time.

3) Things happen that affect us, and YES, our childhood carries into adulthood.  Discovering how and why we react the way we do is incredibly empowering. Learning that we can teach ourselves to self regulate, set boundaries, and acknowledge that we have needs that must be met is infinitely amazing.

4) We DESERVE to experience things that make us happy and bring us joy.  Just buy the concert tickets. Trust me on this one.

5) We owe it to ourselves to take care of ourselves.  We're no good to others if we can't be good to ourselves first.

6) CONNECTING with OURSELVES is essential to overall health and happiness.  Grounding is a facet of self-care that is often overlooked and neglected. Sometimes, maybe all we need is music and dancing in the kitchen. Maybe it's nature or it's sunlight or it's a nap or maybe it's just.....the quiet..... to feel what our bodies are telling us.

If we slow down and listen hard enough, we might already know the answers.

These things have given me a renewed and rejuvenated way of being my actual, real-life self.

I feel more engaged and present in my day to day life and I am also more BALANCED in how I get there. I make sure to take some time to connect with me - the real me. I have discovered that it’s ok to set aside time for my own self-care and what my mind and body need.

When life gets in the way and I lose sight of caring for myself in any way, I have the support of good people around me that chirp like crickets as a reminder that I deserve to take time for me.

You do too.

🩷 Ranell