Thank goodness for three-day weekends, am I right?
To be honest, leading up to this three-day weekend I’ve been sprinting. Constantly in motion with no sign of slowing down. I would drop stuff at the apartment, pick up the next stuff, and go. At night, I’d come home drop my stuff and go to bed just so I could do it all again the next day.
Don’t get me wrong. A busy season isn’t necessarily a bad thing. A lot of what I’ve been in a whirlwind with are good, like spending time with my friends and working on projects. But at my core, I’m not a full-blown hustler. I sometimes wish I could be but I really need downtime. Lately, I’ve been really proud of all that I’ve been able to accomplish but it came at a cost.
Before this weekend, I was feeling dulled down, worn out, and exhausted in every way you can be. We’re a high achieving generation. What cut it for the generation before us, just doesn’t measure up in the same way now. If you’re not moving, you’re not thriving. Right? Wrong.
Work/life balance is no joke. It’s a frequent conversation but what about balancing everything that falls under that “life” category? We sell ourselves short when it comes to the “life” part and how much time and effort it truly takes.
I’m going to go back to an old idea. You can not fill other people’s cups from an empty cup. We have to serve and give from a place where we have something to give. Self-care isn’t selfish and it doesn’t always look like a spa day. Most of the time, it looks like simply listening to your own body and what you need.
A few weeks ago, I posted to my Instagram story that I’d had a particularly exhausting and draining day at work. Leaving work, I had two options.
One was to go ahead with the list of to-dos I had set aside for that day. Stopping by the grocery store, laundry, etc. I could ignore how I was feeling and push through. I could be productive and get it all done.
The second option was to only do what my body, mind, and spirit were telling me I needed in the moment.
I chose option two for the first time in a really long time. Funnily enough, it didn’t look like taking out the trash.
No, instead it started with driving home to music that made me feel happier. I rolled the window down and felt the cold, fresh air on my face to try to bring my mind to the present moment.
Once I got home, I played fetch with Scout. I took a hot shower. And stretched. Then I made a whole, healthy dinner. I got ready for bed, did a face mask, and read a book. By 9:45pm, I was asleep.
I woke up feeling refreshed with a sense of being grounded. I felt like I was ready to operate out of a space of having something to give rather than a bone dry, empty well.
I realized that “self-care” usually looks like bigger, grander things. But day to day, it’s actually small, intentional, impactful actions.
Self-care doesn’t have to be fancy, it’s just the action of choosing you.
The to-do list will be there tomorrow but sometimes you just have to choose what is best for you, in the moment – checklist be damned.
You are doing so great. Every day that you get up and try again, you’re doing something a lot of people don’t have enough courage to do. You are so much better able to service your life and your loved ones if you prioritize your body, mind, heart, and spirit.
Try starting with one night or day a week that you set aside as your reset time. Often times for me, that’s a Friday night. Where I refill what I need so I can be the best me possible for not just everyone else but for me. You’re worth that, treat yourself like it.
Rest up buttercup,
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