Baby Steps Back to Self-Care

 

Self-care and wellness are two of my favorite things to read about, practice, and share with others. So it's pretty ironic that when I became a mom, I forgot how to care for myself. I guess I figured that my extended maternity leave was enough since it felt like a gigantic step to taking care of my needs and desire to be home longer with my little one, after waiting 37 years to become a mom. 

But now, 4 and a half months in and baby’s first bad cold later, I'm realizing I really need to make a new momma self-care plan and stick to it! This isn't just essential to my health but to my family’s wellbeing too, because everything runs more smoothly when the momma bear is happy and peaceful. I know it's not realistic to be happy all the time and I want to honor all my feelings, but I do want to stay more grounded and feel more peaceful at least. 

Time flies in general but you really truly don't see it with your bare eyes as much as when you watch a baby grow and change! It's incredible all that she's learned and how much she's grown over the past four and a half months! If I think about it too long, I already feel nostalgic and want time to slow down, but I know the only way to “slow time down” is by being more mindful and savoring every moment that we have with this bright-eyed, amazing little human who has chosen us as her parents.

So how to get started? Well, regular, daily bite-sized pieces of self-care (or “baby steps” quite fittingly) are always my go-to way to begin a new habit and help it stick. And what I've found helpful as well is using social media and/or my blog to post my progress and help hold me accountable. So starting today--because why wait until tomorrow when you can do something about it today?!--I will carve out at least a few minutes of each day for myself. That means practicing more self-advocacy, delegating, communicating my needs, and taking better care of myself in return. 

For me, expressing my creativity and being in nature are my favorite things to do for myself. These have been my self-care favorites since before becoming a momma, so in a way, by practicing them a little bit everyday now, I will also be helping reestablish my unique identity apart from my greatest role ever of being my baby's momma. I know my daughter someday will want to learn what her momma likes to do, in addition to playing with and taking care of her children. I also know how important it is to model self-care for my daughter so she can begin good, healthy habits early in her life. So by taking better care of myself, I really am taking better care of my daughter. So here's to guilt free self-care!

What things do you do for yourself? Are you making time for those things right now? How can you sprinkle in a few minutes of one of these things you like to do for yourself everyday?

If you’d like support, I’m here for you. You can learn more about my life coaching services at: http://owningyourgoodness.wordpress.com.

Permission to Goof Off

I had an epiphany just now. For several years now, I have been feeling somewhat dissatisfied or maybe even guilty when I goof off, "waste time" or am not as productive as I had planned or hoped I'd be. Today though, in looking at my self-irritation, I want to give myself permission to goof off. Because in "goofing off," creativity is born. Rest is recovered. And I answer my soul's occasional calling. I'm going to be really honest here: I long to goof off! I am a self-identified recovering perfectionist, but I still strive to do my best almost always and I am a determined overachiever.

I am becoming aware of this though. And through awareness, I'm finding permission. I do not have to get everything done tonight. I do not have to get everything done even this week. Life is a continual process. Am I going to win a prize for rushing through life? For not taking time to do what I really want and goof off? Isn't the prize found in taking time for ourselves? Doing what really enjoy and having fun? So why not give myself the gift of some downtime? Okay, but let's be clear. For some reason, I can more easily give myself permission to dedicate an evening to "downtime," but when it involves totally scattered internet time, accompanied by more random dabblings with various projects, not to finish anything of "value," I have a harder time considering it downtime. Downtime has meant laying back and resting, maybe reading something, watching a funny TV show, taking a nap, talking with my husband. But being random hasn't really fallen into that category.

I've been resisting my randomness. I've tried to "fix" it or change it. But let's be honest here: I am naturally a random-abstract person and it's when my creativity shines. Society and my drive to always do my best has taught me to strive for some sort of order, but maybe I'm looking for the wrong thing. Is society's version of order what really makes the most sense to me? If goofing off brings me creative inspiration, isn't there some kind of unique order there somewhere? I know it's not your typical kind, but I get things done when I'm in the flow. And is life all about getting things done, or can we also just sit back and enjoy? Have fun? Goof off? Not be "productive"? Who is the judge of our productivity?

But to think of it, I have been dueling with myself over this for some time now. My goofing off has won over many times but not without leaving me feeling anxious or like I'm somehow failing, not doing what I'm supposed to be doing. Who makes these rules though? Why can't I recreate the definition for success? Why can't I recreate how I view my time?

Last month in my life coaching class, our amazing instructor, Richard Seaman talked about the importance of balancing doing with being. And I crave just "being." But I also have a drive for "doing" and achieving and being productive, checking things off my list. It's almost like I reward myself for getting things "done," but do I reward myself equally when I just am? When I gift myself the dedicated time to "be"?

I challenge myself to consider this gift to myself now. Because I am, at my core, worthy of all the love in the world, whether I check the things off on my to-do list, or not. I am worthy of all the love in the world just because I am. Nothing is required. It's that simple, and yet that complicated to believe, embody, and live this truth. But I am up for the challenge. It almost feels like when I first started meditating. It felt like such a struggle to just sit and close my eyes at first, but now I long for it. I long for the peace it brings me. For the delicious silence it invokes.

So will you join me in forming a habit of just "being"?

Nothing needs to be "done" about it. Just be you. And embrace your amazing, incredible self with all your heart!

xo