The past few weeks have seemed more stressful than normal. It could be the job, Rosebud’s terrible twos or the unexpected expenses that keep popping up. Then there’s the process of starting my business which is partially dependent on other people at the moment, but that’s another story. By the time night roles around and Rosebud is finally asleep, I’m exhausted. Lately all my self care routines have been nonexistent so last night, after another draining day I realized what was missing. I needed to do something to recharge and put some of those thoughts out of my mind or at least get them out on paper.
If you’ve been reading my blog, you know that I’m a big believer in self care. You need to take care of yourself before you can give to others which is especially important as a parent. I’ve talked about some of my Self Care routines before. Recently I heard someone say that they can’t start giving until their cup is over flowing. This made total sense to me. Unfortunately, my cup has been running on empty which isn’t good for me or anyone else.
To fill my cup, I spent the evening doing things that I either enjoy or that are good for me. I spent some time reading, ate a homemade chocolate brownie and exercised to work off that chocolate brownie! Then to relax, I took a bath and used a Bath bomb that had been sitting in my closet for months. It was a gift from one of the kids I work with. His mom gave one to each of his teachers. I’m sure it was meant to help us destress. It was a nice treat. Even the cat wanted to take part in the fun.
Finally before I went to sleep, I wrote in my journal. Amazingly enough, I didn’t end up writing about the stresses of the past several weeks, but I wrote about some memories and found some inspiration for future blog posts. When I woke up this morning, I felt much better. I had more energy and felt refreshed. I know that I need to set one night aside each week just to relax and take my mind off things. The chores and the business stuff can wait. It will be there tomorrow. Then when I feel guilty about not writing blog posts, I realize it’s because I have no inspiration. If my cup is empty, I’m not inspired. The ideas are not flowing. It’s a reminder that self care is essential for your mind and body even if you only have a few extra minutes. Spend them taking care of yourself. It’s worth it. You are worth it! Make yourself a priority.