Carve Out Time For Yourself
One of the hardest things I have ever had to do is to learn how to carve out time for myself on a daily basis. As both a people pleaser and someone who has never put their needs on the list of priorities, this was quite a challenge.
One of the first doctors that helped me on my autoimmune journey told me that I needed to take 30 minutes every day just for me. I already took an hour and a half every day for my yoga practice so I thought I had it covered. While she said it was great that I took the time to do yoga, I was supposed to find another 30 minutes in the day to read a book, take a bath, paint my toes, take a nap, or anything else that was just for me and helped me to unwind and relax.
I left her office thinking she was crazy. It sounded so extravagant. I had a family to take care of, a job, grocery shopping, cleaning, laundry, after school activities and dog walking to fit into each day; where would I find an extra 30 minutes?!?
What I didn’t realize at the time was that if I didn’t learn to carve out those 30 minutes each day I was never going to feel better. I didn’t see my health and well being as a priority. Until that changed I wasn’t going to be able to take care of everything else I had to do without feeling exhausted, sick, and burnt out.
This lesson would sit on the back burner for the next 7 years. During that time, I would often be forced to slow down because I would get sick, but it wasn’t until I was in health coaching school that it would come full circle.
Having someone coach me helped me realize that things had to change. I was able to understand that my body was constantly calling out for a break but I was rarely listening. With support and accountability from my coach, I was able to create a plan to take a bath, read a book, go for a walk, paint my toes, and sometimes just sit down on the couch and do nothing.
It was a slow process; a weekly bath and reading for 5 minutes every night before bed. These small changes had a huge ripple effect; I slept better, I was happier, I began to recognize the signs of exhaustion and burn out before I got sick, I created healthy boundaries for myself, and I learned how to say no.
Even though the effects were far reaching, I still had to deal with the fact that I felt guilty and selfish. I thought that if I took that time for myself I would be neglecting my family or any of my other responsibilities. Turns out it was very important to my family that I take care of myself. To help keep me on track they would light candles for my bath or put on some soothing music, they started helping me cook dinner, and they would give me space and quiet if I wanted to read a book or take a nap. I was a better mom and wife because I didn’t feel exhausted all the time. It was the first step in healing my body.
Carving out time for yourself is rarely an easy task but it is definitely an important one. If you are ready to take that first step to heal yourself then I am here to be your support and accountability partner. Click here and go from Surviving to Thriving!