I’m busy, you’re busy, we’re all busy but what we’re not all doing is taking the time to honor and care for ourselves. Yea, sometimes it seems like you barely have time to get water or run to the bathroom but when you think about it, how are you supposed to do and give your best if you’re not feeling your best? And how can you feel your best if you’re tired, wiped out and running on empty? The point is you can’t.
You can’t be productive, focused and engaged if you’re just trying to make it through the day.
I know many of us are over-worked, under-paid, sleep-deprived, overwhelmed, under-appreciated and frustrated. Life can be hard and when you let all of your little responsibilities outweigh your own self-care it makes life even harder.
My point? When you feel like you have absolutely no time to take a 20 minute nap, sit and drink a hot cup of coffee (slowly), time to journal or chat with a friend, or the ability to sit with your feet up – that’s precisely the exact moment you need to.
You need to take care of yourself.
Regardless of what’s on your plate.
Regardless of what other’s want or expect from you.
Regardless of how much you hope to accomplish.
You deserve to take care of yourself.
Your life is better when you take care of yourself.
Think about it this way: When you’re tired and overworked things take longer, it’s harder to concentrate and focus, you feel sluggish, your energy is low, you care a little less and overall you’re not truly engaged and excited.
BUT when you are rested and nourished you are focused, organized, excited, energized, passionate, open to new ideas, empowered and confident.
When you take care of yourself, truly take care of yourself, you are not only ensuring that the rest of your day/life will go better but you’re also telling yourself and the world around you that YOU matter. That how you feel matters and that you’re going to prioritize your own needs. It’s not a bad thing to take care of yourself, in fact it’s a very good thing. Like they say on airplanes, you need to secure your won oxygen mask before helping anyone else.
So rather than feeling guilty the next time you take 20 minutes to read, or go for a walk or to simply sit and breathe, remind yourself that it’s not only good for you but that you deserve to feel good.
You deserve to take care of yourself.
Don’t just listen to me though. Check out one of my all time favorite sites, Roots of She. Jenn Gibson, creator and all around lovely soul, is absolutely inspiring and will help you open your eyes to the amazing benefits and changes that occur when you embrace self care.
So next time your tired and frazzled rather than marching forward take some time for yourself. Practice yoga. Meditate. Go for a short walk. Call a friend to say hello. Write a note to a family member. Give yourself a facial. Read. Write. Do nothing. Essentially, do whatever will nourish your soul, mind, body and heart.
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