#selfcare30

A few months ago I posted a picture on Instagram with #selfcaresaturday in the description. That day I had taken a quick drive to Santa Monica for a facial. Then I walked right around the corner and had lunch by myself. Such a relaxing day. A day that had come after way too long.

In early fall of last year, I had a bit of a meltdown and just felt totally overwhelmed. After talking about it with my husband and my therapist I think the overwhelm came from a combination of hormones (my cycles had been very irregular – sorry TMI) and not enough time on my own to decompress.

I had been a stay-at-home-mom for about 18 months at that point. There is a lot to be said for time spent engaging with other adults on a regular basis. I am a good mix of an introvert with some extrovert characteristics. I am pretty comfortable in social settings but I also really like time on my own. Last year, I was definitely NOT getting enough time on my own.

At the suggestion of my therapist, I started scheduling time for myself, keyword=scheduling. One day every week where both my husband and I would know that that time was my own. I could leave the house and do what I wanted to do ON MY OWN. Or I could ask him to take the kids out somewhere for a specific amount of time so I could have time at home ON MY OWN.

Since then (and of course this year since meditating) I’ve felt much calmer. Rather than waiting for time to magically appear for me (wasn’t ever going to happen), I claimed it.

Back to #selfcaresaturday. I’d like to invite you, especially those of you who have so many commitments you barely have time to think of yourself (oh that’s all of us), to do just that. Take time for yourself. Running family errands alone does not count, getting groceries alone does not count. Take at least 30 minutes one day this upcoming week and choose an activity just for you. Here are some options:

• Manicure/Pedicure
• Movie
• Solo dining at a restaurant
• Facial
• Read/write at a coffee shop
• Go for walk or bike ride and listen to a pocast or your favorite music
• Meditate
• Take a yoga or pilates class
• Scrapbook ;)
• Girls Night Out

Choose from this list or choose your own activity but claim some time, at least 30 minutes, for yourself. Take a selfie or a photo of your activity and use the hashtag #selfcare30. Can’t wait to see some what you come up with.

My #selfcare30 activity for this weekend is a Mindful Self-Compassion workshop I’ve signed up for on Sunday at The Center for Mindful Living. Looking forward to the meditation and to learning some new mindfulness techniques. I’ll probably take some time to read or write after the workshop is over too. Follow me on Instagram or Twitter to see what I’m up to.

Taking care of yourself is important. You can’t fully care for and be present for others if you’re not caring for yourself. So take care of your body and mind. The universe will thank you for it.

I am grateful for the time you’ve spent here. Thank you for sharing this moment with me.