Giving of Yourself

You start your day off with that fresh cup of coffee, or that morning jog. You know the routine; you don’t want to wake the kids up for school just yet. You want to enjoy the “me” moment. It’s that moment of peace and quiet; the moment when you can listen to the quietness. In a few moments it will be gone. It will be back to making sure lunches are made, all of the homework is done and confirming everyone’s schedule for the day, before you head off to work. Don’t forget to make out those bills before you head out the door. The dogs are due for their shots too, so you need to make an appointment for that. And by the way, Jr. needs to get to the eye doctor; his teacher said she noticed him squinting. Your husband needs to get to the dentist too, so make that appointment today as well.

It’s never ending. You need a secretary just to keep up with everybody! Calgon could only provide temporary relief from this pressure. So what do you do to keep your stress level down? How do you stay calm when you hear the words “But Mom!”

Your answer is very simple. You put the world on hold. What do you mean you don’t have time? I know, nobody has time for anything, its rush, rush, rush. You know where that’s going to lead? To an early grave, that’s where. You spend so much time caring and nurturing and offering support to so many others that you might be neglecting yourself. The more relaxed you are, the more relaxed everyone else will be. Take those classes that you wanted to take. Do it now. Have a life outside of your family. Even if it’s an hour a day, it will make such a huge difference! Here are some ways you can pamper yourself. And with Valentine’s Day coming up, it’s a perfect give to give.

Here’s what I recommend:

You can go to a retreat, spa, salon, message, pedicure, manicure, gift certificate to a book store, or a boutique. When you are outdoors in nature, your mind becomes at ease. Your surroundings are peaceful and so is your mind. You might want to go for a long hike, go somewhere scenic, go horseback riding, go fishing, etc. You also might want to try yoga, tai chi, Qui Gong, karate, or any of the marshal arts. This will help you have an exercised mind. If you have not tried meditating, you might want to give it a try. It will lower your stress level as well.

Whichever you decide to do, just try and make sure you squeeze in time for yourself. You are important to so many people, make sure that you are around even longer for them and rid yourself of some of the stress that you’re carrying around.