As a mom of three, I can honestly say that life gets chaotic. The moment my little monsters come storming out of their rooms, my whole day becomes about them. I constantly hear about mom guilt, where you feel bad that you’re not doing enough for your kids or spending enough time with your kids, and while I completely understand, I also think it’s completely unfair. Dads can regularly go out to drink with friends at bars, golf, or have a man cave, but damn it, why can’t moms do the same? Moms should always feel free to go on a trip with our girlfriends, get a massage, mani-pedi, or I don’t know, maybe eat hot food every once in a while? If us moms don’t take care of ourselves, how are we supposed to take care of the little humans? That is why self care is important.
I’ll admit, I am very lucky in the sense that I have a super supportive husband that reminds me constantly to take some time for myself, hang out with my sisters/friends, get a massage, and go on a trip. I think we both believe in the importance of having a balanced life in being able to take care of others as well as take care of ourselves. We are definitely that couple that loves to be with our family, but at the same time, enjoy our independence and space to hang out with our siblings and friends. Plus if I’m with him all the time, when am I going to get the chance to complain about him?? Haha just kidding! You know what I mean though. But it’s also another reason why self care is important!
Three years ago after having my second kid, Cody, my sister Christine asked me to go to this wellness resort she and her husband went for their babymoon. I’m not going to lie – at first, I was pretty hesitant. I didn’t want to leave my two children and husband behind – it’s not like I didn’t think my husband would take good care of them – but instead, I felt like I was guilty of doing something fun and they weren’t with me. She told me this place is like Disneyland for adults and is called Miraval. Not sure what to expect, I decided to take up her offer and go to Arizona. In the end, I’m so happy I went on the trip. I was able to decompress, get my mind straight, and come back relaxed and refreshed. And that was when I realized why self care is important! To be honest, I didn’t realize how stressed and tired I was until I was able to have that time for myself.
Going on annual trips doesn’t have to be the only time you get away. It’s so important that we carve out time, even on the daily, for ourselves. You can do simple things like working out, doing yoga, reading, mediation, running, hiking, fishing, heck even happy hour with friends…you get the picture. Here’s some tips that I follow to ensure I get my “me time”!
- CREATE YOUR PERSONAL RELAXING SPACE
- Check out a later post to learn how I created my at-home sanctuary and find new ideas on how to create your own!
- COMMUNICATE TO YOUR PARTNER
- No one can do it alone. Tell your partner, your parents, or a friend that you need time to yourself. Talk about what time works!
- BLOCK OUT TIME EACH DAY FOR YOURSELF
- Yes girl, you heard me! Block out time for yourself and make sure you stick to it.
- DISCOVER WHAT YOU ENJOY DOING
- Yoga, reading, mediation, hike, walking the dog, a new hobby, bubble bath, running, anything!
- CREATE A HEALTHY HABIT/ROUTINE
- Create this healthy habit by doing it consistently, until it becomes a part of your daily routine.
- STICK TO IT AND KEEP GOING!
- There will be days where you’ll feel like it’s not important. But always remember how good you feel when you do take that time for yourself and go back to the routine!
- SCHEDULE AN ANNUAL TRIP FOR WELLNESS
- It can be anywhere! It could be a 5-hour flight to Hawaii or an overnight trip to Napa. Just make sure you get some moments of peace and quiet where you can focus on yourself and yourself only.
- ABOVE ALL, JUST GIVE YOURSELF SOME GRACE.
- You’re doing the best you can and you deserve to reward yourself!
Love, Tiffany
