"Why should self-nurturance be so frightening for most women?"
Good question Sarah.
I can't remember why it was so hard to be kind to myself, to take care of myself...
I do remember thinking "I don't have time", and "There are better things I could be doing"...I still think those. My poor nails have been dreadfully forsaken because there are better things that I've been doing.
But taking care of myself is important too.
I also remember thinking that taking time to take care of myself was selfish. I hope you'll come to find as I did that that is one of the biggest myths out there.
Self care is not selfishness.
Sarah suggests that
"Perhaps we are all Scrooges when it comes to self-nurturing because
if we were kind to ourselves, our creativity might begin to blossom
like a plant moving toward the light.
Of course, this would mean we'd want to make some changes in our lives, and we all know how we feel about changes, even positive ones. We may be in a rut, but at least our own familiar grooves are comforting in their own insidious fashion.
The way to take giant leaps and strides toward our authenticity, however,
is through small changes."
"True life is lived when tiny changes occur."
Sarah suggests starting with the basics.
"Take an honest look at how good you are to yourself.
How much sleep are you getting?
Are you walking often or getting enough exercise?
Have you given meditation a fair chance?
How much time do you have every week just to relax?
To engage in personal pursuits that bring you pleasure?
When was the last time you laughed?"
"There is a connection between self-nurturing and self-respect."
If you have any doubt, I suggest you give it a try.
Taking care of myself has done wonders for my life.
Sarah bears her testimony
"Believe me...if you want your life to come together,
you have to start treating yourself better.
No one else can do it for you."
What do you have to lose?
Or more importantly, what do you have to gain?
***
Gratitude Journal
***
1) Robbie. Yesterday as I as sitting at the table with my head in my hand, scraping cheese off of the dinner platter, he asked what I had planned for tomorrow. I said that I was debating cleaning the house, or going to a play date. He took another look at me and told me to do the play date. Thanks for pushing me to do the thing I most needed, some fresh air and sunshine and dirt and grass and kids playing and friendship.
2) My friend. There are some people that you meet in this world and you just know that you are soul mates. That they will always be there for you, and that just being in their presence nourishes your soul. I am very grateful for such friends.
3) Jacob. He's starting to really talk now. He full on tells me stories. I asked him if he had a good nap, if he had any dreams, and he told me all about Pismo with Nana, and how the water came to get him and he fell and he cried but he was okay and he shook it off...then he got ice cream. And while I'd give almost anything to cuddle a newborn baby all day every day, I really love this toddler time and watching his personality bloom.
4) Good days. I've had some pretty good days the last couple of days, they are quite marvelous.
5) Chocolate.
No comments:
Post a Comment