You work... You care-take... You parent... You counsel... You give....
But when is the last time you took time for yourself?
And your brains need down-time too! Think about it - when are you your best, most creative self? When do your best ideas come? I'll bet you'll tell me; in the shower, driving to work, right before you fall asleep. Why do you think that is? Because our minds work best when we are relaxed - when we allow our thoughts to flow.
Although you make think you can't afford to take the time away from your responsibilities, the truth is, you can't afford not to. It may be hard to carve out time, but it's worth finding a way and making the
effort. Maybe you could wake up an hour earlier - before your household is up and buzzing about. There's nothing quite as peaceful as dawn - a warm cup of coffee, the rising sun, a new day filled with possibility.
Or maybe you could steal away a moment in the afternoon? When I worked in an office, I would schedule time-slots with myself and insert my own private moments of calm into an otherwise frenzied pace.
Or at night? Set an official "goodnight" time when the TV goes off, and your household settles into quiet time. Relaxation mode. I've set an alarm on my iphone to chime every evening at the same time as a reminder that it is officially time to unplug, unwind, and relax. ~To disconnect the devices and reconnect to me!
Ok, I've convinced you to take some time for yourself. So now what exactly are you going to do during that time? Sometimes when the moment comes, I'll draw a blank. So, here's a few ideas to get us started.... We could................
So, tell me - what are 5 things that you love to do? Let's brainstorm together...
But when is the last time you took time for yourself?
I hope so, because you deserve to. You need to. You have to take time to recharge, renew, reinvigorate your soul. By exercising self-care, you're in a better position to serve others. It helps
you center yourself, get grounded, avoid stress headaches, insomnia, irritability, stomach-aches, depression, high blood pressure. It helps you become a better, stronger, happier, more efficient person.
And your brains need down-time too! Think about it - when are you your best, most creative self? When do your best ideas come? I'll bet you'll tell me; in the shower, driving to work, right before you fall asleep. Why do you think that is? Because our minds work best when we are relaxed - when we allow our thoughts to flow.
Although you make think you can't afford to take the time away from your responsibilities, the truth is, you can't afford not to. It may be hard to carve out time, but it's worth finding a way and making the
effort. Maybe you could wake up an hour earlier - before your household is up and buzzing about. There's nothing quite as peaceful as dawn - a warm cup of coffee, the rising sun, a new day filled with possibility.Or maybe you could steal away a moment in the afternoon? When I worked in an office, I would schedule time-slots with myself and insert my own private moments of calm into an otherwise frenzied pace.
Or at night? Set an official "goodnight" time when the TV goes off, and your household settles into quiet time. Relaxation mode. I've set an alarm on my iphone to chime every evening at the same time as a reminder that it is officially time to unplug, unwind, and relax. ~To disconnect the devices and reconnect to me!
Ok, I've convinced you to take some time for yourself. So now what exactly are you going to do during that time? Sometimes when the moment comes, I'll draw a blank. So, here's a few ideas to get us started.... We could................
- Read a good book
- Watch a good movie
- Write down our thoughts
- Take a walk, take in some fresh air
- Cook a hot meal
- Visit a local coffee shop
- Relax in a soothing bath
- Take a NAP!
- Cook a hot meal, relax in a soothing bath,
- Do some gentle stretching
- Focus on breathing
- Listen to the sounds or silence around us
- Take a dance class, yoga class, swim class
- Make art
- Color!
- Read the paper
- Beach-comb
- Listen to music
- Paint our nails
- Take a hike in the woods
- Grab a camera and take some pictures of things around us
- Hang out in an art museum
- Call a loved one
- Get a massage
- Buy or make something small for someone we love
- Give thanks to the universe
- Say a prayer
- Meditate
So, tell me - what are 5 things that you love to do? Let's brainstorm together...
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