As I write this post from my home office, there’s something very sweet about the view that I am looking at: two cats sleeping away in their blanket forts.

Just five minutes ago, both cats were irritable and unsettled, not sure what they wanted or what would make them happy. They were grumpy, tired, and just needed to take a nap. So I draped a fuzzy blanket over the overstuffed chair, which created a cozy cove for one cat to crawl into. And I draped another soft blanket over the coffee table for the other – making it like a dark den. Within seconds, they were each sound asleep and softly snoring – making it much easier and more peaceful for me to write.

Creating these cozy forts got me thinking – not just about my sweet cats, but also about our own lives. I wondered if feeling better and feeling comforted and relaxed were always such a simple fix for all of us. If we could create some sort of fort for ourselves – a place of comfort and warmth we could retreat to when life felt overwhelming and chaotic. 

While I hadn’t seen it as a fort until now, I’m realizing that I have created this special relaxing spot in my own life, too. I’m a pretty sensitive soul, and it doesn’t take much to send me into a frenzied state. Thankfully, I know this about myself and have created a cozy fort to climb into whenever could use some downtime – time to go within, breathe, and bring my energy back into my body. My fort is my bed. At least once in the middle of the day, I’ll climb underneath the covers, pull them up almost over my head, and just rest. Sometimes my husband climbs in. And sometimes my cats climb in. It’s a place of complete comfort that I go to. Sometimes I stay for just a few minutes and sometimes I stay for hours. But I always leave feeling more grounded and comforted than when I arrived.

I also have a backup fort, which is my fluffy pink robe. Whenever I start to feel overwhelmed, I’ll grab this robe and put it on, which instantly soothes me and helps me feel more grounded and calm.

I love having these soothing standbys – always at the ready whenever I crave a little extra TLC.

Our lives are so hurried and filled with never-ending tasks. Giving ourselves these mini retreats – these cozy forts – helps bring us back to the ground, helps center us, and helps us feel calm again. 

You may already have created a cozy fort for yourself – a place to go or something to wrap yourself in that immediate helps you relax and recharge. It could be a blanket that you curl up on the couch with. Or a friend who gives you a big bear hug when you’re feeling frenzied. Or a fluffy dog or cat that you can hold. Or a sweet baby who loves to be rocked. It could be a song that brings you comfort when you hear it. Or a written passage that helps you find your place in the world when you read it.

There are so many ways to find comfort. There are so many ways to create our own cozy forts.

I would love for each of us to give ourselves permission to not only create our forts, but to go to them often. To allow ourselves to use them and to enjoy them and to relax in them. To give ourselves time and space to slow down and recharge. Because that’s exactly what these forts are created for.

The next time I go crawl into mine, it will bring me such joy to imagine you crawling into yours (whatever that may be) as well. We’ll be cozy together. Isn’t that comforting?

Hugs,

Jodi

Jodi Chapman is a bestselling author, an award-winning blogger, and a soulful community builder. She lives her life with love and faith in the driver’s seat, and she hopes to leave a trail of inspiration wherever she goes. She believes that we each have the ability to hear our soul’s whisper and create our best lives. She would love to connect with you!

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