As women we spend a ton of our energy, probably most of it, caring for the needs of others… and that is wonderful! We were made for that! But often it leaves us feeling like martyrs, or feeling guilty when we take time or spend money to do something kind for ourselves. Exercise… What’s that? Reading a book for pleasure… can’t remember the last time? Flossing… hahaha!
Sometimes swiping a baby wipe over your face counts as washing it, am I right?
Ladies, you work so hard loving others! To make that sustainable you must take time to love yourself. Treat that body of yours with kindness. It is AMAZING! Take time to feed your soul each day. Below are some rhythms I’ve used in the busiest seasons of life to (at least try to!) make sure I’m caring for myself.
Sunday Nap time- seriously do it! Tell your family you need it and make it happen. Curl up with a book you’ve been meaning to read and let yourself drift off. (You might be so tired that you don’t make it very far in the book, but give yourself grace!)
Manicure/Masque Mondays- take your pick and do something for your skin or nails that you probably haven’t done often since college.
Friday Floss- sounds like a joke, but I’m not kidding if I hadn’t done this “Friday Floss Day” for years I’d probably floss once a year instead of daily. When I started my invisible aligner treatment last year I had to begin flossing daily and now I’m kinda grossed out that I haven’t done this always. But I figured once a week is 51 times more than usual so its a pretty good start!
Saturday Soak- take a bubble bath!
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
How do you make time to feed your soul daily? Because I don’t know about you supermoms, but if I try to spend one day doing life in my own strength I’m a train wreck and I’ve got to apologize up and down all day long. When my babies were little a wise friend recommended that I leave a book that feeds my spirit open near my rocking chair so that I could grab onto some little nuggets of truth while I would nurse or rock my babies to sleep. I also found Hidden In My Heart lullaby albums I would listen to and sing over my own little ones and foster babies, but inevitably I always felt myself receiving peace from them at the same time.
Podcasts! These weren’t nearly as common when my kids were little, but now I love to listen to them in the car, or while I fold laundry, wash dishes etc. etc. etc. Some of my favorites:
At Home With Sally and Friends
Leiann King (on Essential Oils)
What are ways you’ve found to take care of yourself? What are things you’d like to make time for again?
From Kehn on Abundant Life- Original Post Here