Self-care

Today’s Mantra: I choose to be kind to myself

In the name of self-care I am sitting down with a lovely cup of Chai Tea and writing this blog. This is me time. This makes me happy.

I wish I was having this time in an already clean house, with the days tasks behind me, but I usually find I am too tired  by then (if, in fact that time EVER arises).

Leo is a asleep and Julian is at kindy. The house is silent. I’ve just eaten a piece of egg on toast and devoured two heavenly pieces of chocolate. Happy, happy, happy.

My feet want to stand up and start doing. My eyes keep flashing to the kitchen where the dishes are still beckoning me, my mind flickering over the fact that the washing machine is full and finished, ready to be hung out and reloaded.

Stop!

This is literally the only time I have for me all day and yet I can’t focus. I can’t sit here and just enjoy. My to-do list is writing itself, despite my stubborn determination to focus and just be.

Yesterday my Mum took Jules out and when she dropped him back I asked her if I could duck to the shops. A speedy trip and on the drive back I thought. “I’m thirsty, also I need to go the bathroom.”

I walk back in, mum gets going and I start cooking something in the kitchen. I think again, “I need to go to the bathroom, also I’m thirsty.”

Leo starts wailing because Jules won’t let him play with his train. I comfort Leo, remind Julian that sharing is caring and go back to the kitchen.

So once your body tells you that you are thirsty, you are all ready dehydrated. Once you get the cue to go to the toilet, it’s not great to hold. Certainly my three year old instinctively knows this, judging by the amount of washing I still do (when is “toilet training” really over?).

It took me over an hour to attend to my needs. I kept “forgetting” about me. I used excuses…I mean look at him…I couldn’t just leave him like that…

You know what?

If you forget about yourself then so will others.

So the lesson is despite all your instincts to put your self-care button on pause….don’t…because eventually you just might forget where it is.

xx