Kids, work, household, husband/wife/SO, friends -- most of us are pulled in a lot of different directions -- we are spinning so many plates that one of them is bound to fall.
So many parents (especially moms) seem to be struggling with the same thing I struggled with while teaching full time and working part-time and raising my four children...
TIME FOR MYSELF
Here's the thing: the reality is..."You can’t pour from an empty cup.” (Where have you heard that before?) As impossible as "finding the time for you" might sound, as selfish as it might seem, the truth of the matter is simple.
You can’t be at your best for your family if you aren’t taking care of yourself.
I’m not talking extravagant here...I’m talking about the basics - exercise, nutrition, hydration, sleep, some time to rest…To paraphrase Ayn Rand - The mom who does not value herself, cannot value anything or anyone. SO, take time for yourself. I can feel the eye rolls right through the screen...but - here’s the thing -
I know, you love your kid(s) to death and would do anything for them. And you have a gajillion things on your to-do list. (more on that in a different email.) And it feels like there’s no time for you. And I’m not talking about neglecting them or not taking care of their needs for food, clothing, love, and attention.
BUT if you don’t make the time for you...you’ll be short with your kids, your patience will dwindle, you’ll second guess yourself, and things won’t get done. You just won’t be your best self. You’ll go to bed feeling guilty about the way you handled things...you’ll feel inadequate as a spouse/parent, you’ll be an.and all you have to accomplish. Taking the time to care for yourself is also how you teach your kids to take care of themselves.
So - tell me, what’s one way you are going to prioritize taking care of yourself this week?
Prioritizing yourself doesn’t need to be elaborate. It doesn’t even need not to involve your kid(s). When my four were growing up, there were things we did for me that they enjoyed also - going to the beach, twice-yearly visits to the NY Aquarium, the Bronx Zoo, and the Carousel and the Central Park Zoo. (I know they were for me because I still did all of those things after my kids had outgrown them). I also made sure to have a “girls' night out” with friends and date night with my husband as often as possible - my children were definitely not invited.
Your children will do as you do, not as you say...if you are allowing yourself to be put on the back burner, they will not only think that’s where you want to be but that’s how it’s supposed to be.
So - tell me, what’s one way you are going to prioritize taking care of yourself this week?
I look forward to hearing from you,
And if you're having trouble figuring it out on your own...let's chat. I'll help you carve out the time that you need.😊