This weekend as I made sure L and Waverly were happy and felt safe, loved and cared for, I realized that the things that I had wanted to get do over the weekend (like getting a pedicure, cleaning my side of the closet, trying the new cafe in our town) never got done. Instead, I was so busy making sure all of the house chores were done, bills paid and my family taken care of, that my happiness came way down the list of things that were important to me. When I finally fell into bed last night, I was happy that my family was happy but I also realized that it had been a long time since I had done something for myself so that I didn't feel like I was just someone's wife and someone's mother.
Like the proverbial putting on your own oxygen mask before helping others, I realized that in order to have something to give, that I needed to take care of myself so that I have something to give to those that I love. If you are responsible for the happiness and wellbeing of others (your partner, kids, aging parents, pets. . .) or you have a job that takes up much of your life, you know this feeling of feeling depleted. I know when I feel like that it comes out as frustration and crabbiness. The thing is, that you matter just as much as those you love.
As I go forward this week, I'm going to keep this in mind and try to be kind to myself. If the house isn't immaculate, we will all survive. If dinner isn't 100% homemade, we will be fine. I'm going to make some time to schedule that pedicure. It's amazing what just 45 minutes of someone else caring for you, can do for your soul.
I hope that whatever your week looks like, that you remember how important self-love is and that you can be kind to yourself. If you've put off your morning runs because you need to make breakfast for your family, put out a note and a box of oatmeal or muffins. Take the morning commute for yourself, listen to an audiobook that you have put off because you didn't have time, drink the tea that makes you happy and tell yourself that you are going to have a wonderful week, because you are.
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