Hello ,

I need to tell you about two baths I took this week, because I think they might change something for you like they did for me.

Wednesday night: Exhausted to my bones, I ran just enough water to cover my legs. Five minutes worth. Half a tub. Part of me whispered, "This isn't real self-care. You're half-assing it." But I sank in anyway.

Saturday night: I went all in. Full tub, bath salts turning the water into a mineral sea, meditation playing at 11pm. This was it—my perfect sanctuary.

Twenty minutes in, despite my clear boundary, the interruptions began. Husband started rambling off grocery list and meal plan for the week and then "Mom, I'm hungry." My carefully crafted peace suddenly had a revolving door.

Here's what surprised me: The five-minute, half-filled bath taught me just as much as the "perfect" one.

What I learned in the water:

Bath #1: those five minutes in barely-enough water? Revolutionary. Because I'd chosen imperfect care over no care at all. My body received that kindness without judgment. It didn't know I was "supposed to" fill the tub completely. It just knew it was being loved.

Bath #2, when my sanctuary was invaded? The old me would have erupted. Would have let the interruptions shatter my peace like a rock through glass.

Instead, I kept my headphones on. Responded with minimal words. "We'll handle that when I'm done." I didn't fight. I simply continued being a woman in a bath, deserving of peace.

My peace remained intact—not because the conditions were perfect, but because I'd decided my serenity wasn't conditional on anyone else's behavior.

Here's what I want you to know today:

You are allowed to rest in half-full tubs.

You are allowed five-minute sanctuaries.

You are allowed to maintain your peace even when the world walks through it uninvited.

We keep waiting for perfect conditions that never come. For the house to be quiet. For the to-do list to be done. For the "right" amount of time.

But what if peace isn't about perfect conditions? What if it's about choosing to receive whatever's available right now?

This week's practice (if you want to try):

The Five-Minute Sacred Pause:

• Set a timer for just five minutes
• Do something kind for your body (hand cream, feet up, gentle stretching)
• When the voice says "this isn't enough," whisper back: "Something is always better than nothing"
• Notice how your body receives this kindness without judgment

Or try the Half-Full Practice:

• Deliberately choose something "half"—half a cup of tea, half a meditation, half a walk
• Practice receiving it fully
• Ask yourself: Does partial presence feel better than perfect absence?

A thought to carry with you:

We teach people how to treat us by what we tolerate, yes. But more importantly, we teach ourselves who we are by how we hold our boundaries—even when they're crossed.

Every time you choose the imperfect five minutes over nothing, you're rewiring your nervous system to know: I am worthy of care, even when it comes in imperfect packages.

You don't need to earn rest. You don't need perfect conditions. You just need to begin, with whatever's available, right where you are.

Remember: Your peace is portable. Your rest is valid even when incomplete. And that five-minute something will always, always beat the perfect nothing.

With so much love and every imperfect moment,

Charity 💜

P.S. - If these words resonated with you, if you're craving more permission to rest imperfectly, I share deeper stories and practices like this every Sunday in The Soulful Sunday Subscription. You can grab a free issue [here] - no app needed, just stories and rituals for real life, delivered to your inbox. But even if you don't, please remember: you're allowed to start with five minutes. You're allowed to start today. 🛁✨