I’m Taking Back Me: No More Neglecting Myself

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I keep making all of these excuses lately. A lot of them involve my favorite people: my kids. I’m still losing the baby weight. I have to help them with school. It’s hard to keep up with the house. We have colds (again). Needless to say, I’ve been neglecting myself. I’ll be completely honest, the whole not-pouring-from-an-empty-cup annoys me. There’s a lot of times as a mom to little kids, the cup is not only empty, it’s bone dry. That is where I’ve been operating.

I wouldn’t consider my cup full because kids need a lot and that’s okay. I’m taking baby steps to focus on me a little more. While I’ve been prioritizing their needs, it left me feeling insignificant. My days are very similar and kids don’t thank you for keeping them alive. But I’ve started to remember the importance of self-care lately and have added a few things into my routine.

Quiet Hour

I took back quiet hour. I use TV to entertain my children in the afternoon. It has helped me get some things done and honestly, it is so needed. I used to feel really guilty about it. I should be doing something with them. We need to practice letters and math and reading. We should utilize this hour for playing games. I can’t check out. But turns out I can and it’s awesome.

Bringing some Focus to Me

I set an alarm for 1.5 hours before my kids typically wake up. They aren’t always consistent, but I often can shower, get ready, eat breakfast and even drink hot coffee before anyone needs help. I usually take some time for my all-time favorite hobby: reading. This is my time. This helps me pour into my kids all day long.

Finding my Style

I lost my style for a while. I was just wearing things that fit or were given to me or were purchased on super clearance sales. A lot of them were falling apart and didn’t fit quite right. My long-term goal is to love everything in my closet. I’m on a self-imposed shopping ban. I want to know if I need any pieces of clothing. I want to like what I already own. It has to work for my life now. No more neglecting myself. I hold onto things for years, sometimes because I wear it a lot and sometimes because I might wear it again someday. Spoiler alert: I have a lot of clothes and nothing to wear. But I am working on it and it is fun getting ready again!

What have you been doing to carve out some time for you? I love hearing new ideas.