Dear Ladies {young & old}:
This week's post is my PSA about the importance of making time for yourself! We all have crazy busy lives and many of us tend to put ourselves LAST. We make excuses about the million and one things we have to do and put everyone and everything in front of ourselves. Make a change this year, right NOW and start scheduling time for YOU!
Time for yourself can be mean a lot of things... perhaps working out {if you haven't been dedicating enough time to your physical and mental well being}; a nice long bubble bath; a marathon of your favorite series on Netflix; dinner with your girlfriends; learning a new skill or taking a class; reading a book or maybe even book club... the point is, it's for YOU!! Time away from your other obligations, time to indulge YOU! And it's ohhhh so necessary to be a better YOU! Not just for your own benefit but for your loved ones.
In the years since we've had our kiddies I have taken time in all sorts of ways... in the early years it was Bunco once a month with a group of ladies; weekly playgroup where the kids would entertain one another for a good hour or more & the mamas would chat {quite honestly playgroup is win-win... kids covered and adult time all in one!}; Scrapbooking Nights where mamas would get together, sip wine and slap photos in our scrapbooks... Whatever was planned for the mamas, sans kids, I was there.
As our kids entered elementary school/beyond and their lives became busier, the time for me seemed to lessen. The time to coordinate with other mama friends seemed to lessen. Bunco became a bust, sadly. Playdate days were long over. It's crazy how as seasons change with your kids, they change for you as well. Friends you once hung out with weekly are now running in every direction just like you but maybe opposite directions because your kids don't participate in the same activities. It's so hard. And really kind of sad.
Suddenly you are all entrenched in your kids lives, as we should be as loving and caring mamas BUT we need to be us, too. We need time to recharge ourselves and do for us. We need girlfriends to laugh and cry with, to talk through parenting stressors/drama, to share life with. We may be mamas and wives BUT we are WOMEN, too. Our own selves- apart from those we love and are so committed to. Yet day after we always put the needs of all those around us first. {and often feel so GUILTY even thinking about taking time for ourselves, yet we are just as deserving as anyone.}
As our kids have gotten older, the playgroup mamas turned into book club mamas. Sadly even our book club is defunct at this point because of the insanity of our kids' schedules. {Perhaps we should try to schedule book club via video conferencing or something. 🤔 hahah! We could all tune in from wherever then...}
I have lots of girlfriends that I do coffee and/or dinner with; exercise with; etc. It's just carving out the time in our lives to do it. Coffee is generally in the middle of the week, early in the morning after we shipped the kiddies off to school. Dinner... well that isn't always as easy to plan. Exercise... is generally at 5:15 or 5:30 a.m.
My point, it can be REALLY hard to make time for you but it is so important that you do.
My 40th birthday is quickly approaching 😩 I committed myself to do more for me, more for my health and more for my sanity. My 2018 calendar includes areas each month for goal setting and planning, while there aren't any HUGE goals at the moment, there are goals.
Goals like weight loss for better health; commitment to daily workouts; commitment to drinking LESS wine/alcohol; advance planning and preparing of blog/social media posts; drinking a minimum of 32 oz of water a day {because I had to start somewhere, I was really bad for far too long about not hydrating enough; no unnecessary spending {if you know me and my love of shopping/clothes, you can appreciate this goal 😂}; train for my 4th half marathon at end of April; and more...
Again... plan for YOU. Set goals. Make time for YOU. I know how hard it is. I'm just as busy as the next girl... I could go on with a laundry list of my responsibilities related to my family/my work/etc just like you {or you can check out what a day in the life of being a PO is like here and can probably relate to the craziness that you most likely share in your own world}. The bottom line is making yourself a priority in all of that.
With all that said... last summer I was chosen to be a Chic Ambassador for Rachel Hollis of The Chic Site & her launch tour of "Girl, Wash Your Face." I had the privilege of reading the ARC {Advanced Reader Copy}. It was great - so many moments I found myself nodding along with an "ahhhh, yes, I'm with you sister!" Tour dates & cities were released at last & the closest she was going to be to me was Pittsburgh. I began hemming and hawing about whether to purchase a ticket. Do I go, do I not... what will the weather be like {because any WNY friends know that driving through Erie, PA in the winter can be HELL}. As the weeks got closer, I decided I was going! A friend committed to tag along... hotel was booked, tickets were purchased & even booked a rental car to avoid extra miles on my lease {which turned out to be a monster Infiniti ... all sparkly & clean inside - unlike my own vehicle that needs a serious cleanse at the moment!}. The excitement was real!
Friday, January 26th arrives and my poor friend is suffering from the FLU 😷🤒🤕 I admit I was slightly panicked... all these plans in place and my girl is sick. I texted another friend who is super near and dear to me and by the grace of the good Lord she was able to tag along!
I have to say that the short little trip was a perfect refresher. Time for me. Time with my favorite, Allison❤ and..... 🥁 {drum rollllllll........} meeting the Rachel Hollis & snagging a signed copy of her new book! Wait... did I mention we got to shop at Evereve as well? Girl time, wine, shopping... it's like heaven.
Post Launch Party & Shopping, Allison and I went back to our hotel room at the Crowne Plaza and indulged in more wine 🍷 and chatter. Did I mention they have complimentary Sleep Tight sets which include relaxing lotion, spray & soothing foot/leg gel. It was like a mini DIY pre-bedtime spa session! {And... the foot & leg gel was ahhhhmazing!}
All of this minus the husband and kids. All of this for ME! {Well us if we are talking in the context of Allison and me😉}
Soooo... what are you waiting for?! Be you! Make time for YOU! I can assure you that your little kiddies will be fine if you take time for yourself; as will your spouse. And you'll thank yourself later for the little refresher.
Not sure how to make this happen? Start small. This time for you does not have to be anything crazy. A date with your treadmill at 5:30 a.m. before the hustle & bustle of the day begins; a cup of tea or coffee by yourself before everyone else gets up for the day; a nice quiet bubble bath {lock the kiddies out of course!!!}; time to read some juicy book after putting the kiddies to bed {because the dishes and laundry can wait!!! And may I suggest that you pre-order your copy of Girl, Wash Your Face?! You'll love it!}... Whatever you decide, remember this is for YOU! and YOU deserve it.
Looking for more, perhaps to get out & about? Enlist the help of the grandparents to help with your kiddies; your spouse; a sitter or perhaps swapping sitter duties with another mama friend if money is limited.
Need more help fitting in time for you and/or how to get the coverage for your kiddies to do so? I can help you work through the details! Contact me via orderlybydanica@gmail.com
Best always - XO
Danica
#MakeTimeforYourself #PersonalGoals #PersonalGrowth #BeYou #Plantimeforyou #YouareaPriority