I’ve decided to join these lovely ladies, Shay and Erika in their monthly link-up!!
In the link up we share How we…(fill in the blank.) It’s different every month and it’s so fun to read how others do life, so I thought I would join them!
This month’s topic is How We Take Care of Ourselves.
Ok, here we go!!!
A few years back, I had 4 kids under age 10…I know, I still can’t believe I survived that!! Ha! Back then I don’t remember having the time to even think about whether I was taking care of my self or not. I was in survival mode! Since the kiddoes were little, I felt more physically tired than emotionally exhausted at the time, so I focused on getting enough sleep to take care of myself.
Now that the kids are for the most part grown…only one left in the nest! Wow! I look back and see that I actually DID take care of myself, I just didn’t realize it!! Here are some ways that I took care of myself then AND now!
<<ONE>>
GET ENOUGH SLEEP….this is a big one for me! My body needs about 7 hours of sleep to run correctly and for me to feel good, not sluggish! When I had littles, I was up in the middle of the night sometimes, so I took advantage of napping when the baby napped, or I even turned on a movie for them and napped sitting right next to them. Yes, I remember them waking me up at the end…”Mommy, the movie is over!” =) These days I don’t have any littles to keep me up at night, but I do have this little furry girl that likes to get up early to go outside and potty- some days it’s 4:30 am!! Let’s just say that some days I’m a better wife and mother, and have a better attitude if I get a short nap in the afternoon, and I’m ok with that!! Here’s my early riser….
<<TWO>>
SAY NO- Another way I’ve learned to take care of myself is to say NO to people, events and opportunities that aren’t right for me at the time. Some of these things are so fun and seem like positive things, but they just don’t fit into my priorities. I’ve learned to say NO without guilt and not having to give an explanation yet being thankful and kind at the same time! Some of those opportunities will come back around and it actually might be a better time for them. Unfortunately, I learned to say no a little later in my life- I wished I had learned it sooner!!
<<THREE>>
TAKE CARE OF MYSELF PHYSICALLY- Now, I’m not the best when it comes to diet and exercise, BUT, I always make sure that I’m caring for this body to make sure it’s running right! That means I see the dentist every six months, annual eye appt., have a yearly exam, both the girly kind and the yearly physical and blood work, and the smash-o-gram too!! Yes, I’ve even had several colonoscopies, which I believe saved my life because they found a pre-cancerous polyp when I was in my 30’s. Now don’t get me wrong…I don’t LOVE going to all of these appointments, but I know they are important to keep me going and to be my best!
<<FOUR>>
STAYING SOCIAL- Did you know that I’m an introvert? That I really want to stay home most of the time? Well, that’s how I roll. I used to be ashamed of it and wonder what the heck was wrong with me and then I heard the word INTROVERT and I realized that most people are introverts! Because of this bent, I tend to be “in my head” and think a lot, which can be both good and bad. What helps me when I’m in a funk or a bad mood is to get out and talk to people! Doesn’t matter if it’s at the grocery store or taking a walk with a friend- just being with people brings me up! Even a simple platform like facebook helps me to be social and connect with others!! As much as I want to be at home doing my own thing, I truly NEED PEOPLE and SOCIAL INTERACTION. Well, and I need my dog. (hehehe)
<<FIVE>>
FEED MY MIND GOOD STUFF- In our world it’s so easy to hear about the negative things going on in our country- poverty, hurricanes, political unrest, murders, etc. Ugh…I can’t handle thinking about what this world will be like for our grandchildren…JESUS COME SOON!!! Instead of feeding my mind with what’s on the news or in the headlines, I like to purposely feed my mind with good books, fun articles and inspirational songs! Sure, I like to watch some questionable stuff on tv….hello, Bachelor =) BUT I find myself mentally in a much better place when focusing on the positive.
I am sure there are a kabillion more things I could write down to tell you how I take care of myself, but these were the first few things that came to mind! I would love to here how YOU take care of yourself!!
Oh, and by the way….HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!!!! Here’s a quick little recipe if you want to treat your loved ones! Click HERE!!
See ya next week!!
[…] If you missed my previous post on How We…Take Care of Ourselves, you can find it HERE. […]