It’s been a few weeks since kids have started school. For some, this is a usual transition from summer. For some, this is new. It can be a happy time, a stressful time, a sad time. In the end, though, it happens as kids get older. And hopefully, you’ve got a rhythm going now.
On the bright side, one of the many benefits is that moms can get a bit more time to spend on themselves. Yet so many moms, especially part-time working moms, sometimes me included, say “I don’t have time”, “I have work to do” or maybe even “I’ll do it later.”
We will spend the time doing what’s necessary for our kids, significant other, parents, neighbors, volunteering obligations, etc., but what about spending time on ourselves? Some of our favorite blogs, such as Carrie Contey or Renee Trudeau, talk about self-care. The message is clear – we need to make time to refill our cups. In the end that self-care makes each of us be a better mom, significant other, friend, sibling, colleague, neighbor, you name it.
How can we be at our best when we often turn away from taking care of ourselves? It might even sound counterintuitive, but just think about it. Without self-care, and I don’t just mean exercise or going to the spa, I mean true self-care, we can feel drained over time and just not quite happy with ourselves. And, when that happens, it can be harder to be present and generally happy, (really happy, not faking it happy) with our families and our work.
So how can we do to bring self-care into our day when we’re so busy? The reality is that the answer to that is very personal. Here are a few things to think about…
- What makes you truly happy?
- Is there a smell that triggers happy thoughts?
- Is there an activity that makes you smile, even just thinking about it?
- Can you think of an image that gets you to think happy thoughts?
- What’s stopping you from doing self-care? How can you overcome that?
Really, though, it can be anything. A nap, reading a book, taking a walk in nature, lunch with a friend you connect with regularly, lunch with a friend you haven’t seen in a long time, gardening, anything. It all depends on what makes you happy and helps fill your cup.
Depending on the moment, self-care can take different forms for me personally. Sometimes I like to do something very “luxurious” like time at a spa . The reality, though, is that I have simple things I do at home. I love lavender bubble baths. I take a walk with rock out to music to get positive thoughts going. It can also be doing nothing other than looking at a fun magazine, even for a few minutes. I love to look at travel magazines that either teach me about places I haven’t been or remind me of fun memories of where I have been. I’ve been thinking I might need to make an inspiration board so that I have a lot of happy thoughts in one page that’s easy to access. One way to start the day on a good note is to use an intention for the day (thank you for the suggestion, Renee Trudeau). That way I can focus on something I want (think “be more present” or “listen more actively” and not add to your to do list). One thing I do, which I feel I don’t do enough, though, is reach out to friends — on the phone, for lunch, for a walk. You spend the time and feel recharged, supported, loved in a way that is not quite what you get from your family.
What is part of your self-care routine or moments? Is there something that you will start to do that will help with your own self-care? Share your thoughts and suggestions in the comments.
