Atypical & Awesome “Self-Care”

“Self-care” is a buzz word these days but what does it really mean? Spa fays, sleeping in, brunch with girls, etc are all great wonderful things but self-care runs much deeper and has a far more poignant purpose. Self-care is establishing and enforcing physical and emotional boundaries. My time versus your time. My space versus your space. Hitting the brakes and saying I’m tired and need to rest. I have been practicing self-care for the past several years and my life is SO MUCH BETTER. Step one- I do not allow toxic people into my head space. There are some toxic people I do have to interact with occasionally but those interactions are on a limited basis and I do not “feed the fire” by overly engaging with them. Step two- my time is my most valuable asset, I work three jobs that I love (by choice) and I am a wife and mom and also do a fair amount of pro bono work. I am extremely selective about how I use my time. The result is I am very productive which helps keep me grounded and not stressed. I also “schedule” down time. I took today off. Two weeks ago, I submitted PTO for today. I planned a “down day”, a “mental health day”. I put myself in a position to do this and I have no regrets- lol Take care of YOU! Drink good coffee and eat good food. Get fresh air, spend time with loved ones, and take pictures of beautiful things. Create- art, music, experiences. Love and live life to the fullest. Self-care is not selfish. It is critical. Have a beautiful day!

When life gives you lemons….