Love Yourself Like It's Friday
- K.M. Cookie
- Mar 18
- 2 min read
As we step into March and leave behind the Valentine’s Day frenzy, I want to challenge you: remember to love the most important person in your life—you.
Putting yourself first isn’t selfish. It’s survival. Life isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon, and if we don’t pace ourselves with care and intention, we burn out before we ever reach the finish line.
I’ve learned to put myself first in small but sacred ways, and for me, it all begins on Fridays.
Friday mornings, when I stand in front of my mirror dressing for the day, I reach for my dream catcher earrings. The moment they dangle from my ears, I feel grounded—connected to something larger than myself, something ancient, protective, and woven with purpose.
Next comes a dab of my essential oil blend—a scent I stumbled upon during my favorite vacation ever, a trip to Kauai. The moment it touches my skin, I’m transported: the sun warming my shoulders, the salty breeze, the slow rhythm of the waves. That scent reminds me that a vacation isn’t just a place—it’s a perspective. And so, with a deep breath, I step into my day as though my weekend has already begun.
A Mindset of Celebration
Fridays aren’t just the end of the workweek for me; they’re a ritual. A reminder to celebrate, even when life feels chaotic.
I choose to have great days—at work, at home, in my writing—because even when I don’t love every moment, I remind myself: I choose this life. And I love my choice.
That choice continues on Friday nights, where you’ll always find me on my deck, my husband by my side, our rescued pitbull curled at our feet. The air hums with music—my personal playlist of over 1,000 songs spanning five decades. These aren’t just songs; they’re stories—of risk, of hope, of heartache and joy, of desperate longing and intoxicating romance.
When guests join us, I always give them a disclaimer: “If you don’t like something, tell me. But understand—this playlist is about connection. I listen to celebrate our commonalities, not our differences.”
It’s funny how music, like books, can hold broken pieces of us together. The right song at the right time? It’s a balm, a guide, a melody stitched together from the things we’ve survived.
A Broken Melody—And the Stories That Save Us
This idea—of music shaping our emotions, of sound becoming memory—is woven into the heart of my upcoming novel, Broken Melody.
Just like my Friday night playlist, the book is filled with the kind of songs that carry you somewhere—whether you want to go there or not. It’s a story about love, loss, and the unrelenting pull of music that refuses to let you forget.
So tell me—what’s the one song that always brings you back? The one that, no matter where you are in life, makes you remember?
Hit reply and let me know. Let’s talk music, stories, and the melodies that make us who we are.
Until next time,
K.M. Cookie
Summertime. By War. It reminds me of the times we would go for a drive in 1970s Las Vegas in my mom’s Rambler. We would drive by the park across from Roy Martin Jr High where she taught drama, and let the sprinklers wash our car. It was one of the ways she made life fun for us as a single mom with limited resources. The freedom and togetherness stays with me.