I thought about it this afternoon while I read my book under the shade of a palm tree in the warm breeze and powder blue sky. I thought about it as I placed an adorable bouquet of magenta carnations on my bedside table this evening. I thought about it as I stirred a packet of hot chocolate into my mug ten minutes ago. I was thinking about the little things I do to treat myself. Whether I needed it or not.For the last few months I had been dealing with a few stressful situations, like a lack of income, dealing with a tedious job market, and family issues resulting in me having to move out of my house, which is why I haven't made a blog post in about three months.
When you're stressed out, you usually think of things that you would rather be doing instead of dealing with the problems that are making your life hard, right? You would probably be thinking "I'd rather be watching my favorite TV show," or "I'd rather be hanging out at the bar," or "I'd really rather be on some beach somewhere" [to quote Blake Shelton].
But when you think of all the things you would like to do to treat and sooth yourself, you may also be thinking "but I'm too frazzled/busy/selfless to have "Me Time." You might be making a mental list of all your responsibilities and priorities, and never stopping to think that your emotional, mental, and physical health is also a big responsibility. A responsibility that needs regular attention. I'm saying you need to take time every day to do at least one little thing for yourself. You have an obligation to you and the people who depend on you and love you to take care of yourself and make sure you are happy, healthy, and relaxed.
Kelly Exeter, author of "Your Best Year Yet: 7 Simple Ways To Shift Your Thinking And Take Back Your Life," gave some tips on her website about regularly "indulging yourself." She addresses people who prefer not to regularly pamper themselves because they fear it is more of a selfish thing to do, by saying, "While it might sound a little excessive and selfish to indulge yourself every day, it's absolutely not. It's just one piece of the 'looking at yourself' puzzle. After all, we all know that we are no good to other people if we are not good to ourselves."
Think about it. You sleep because your body can only handle so much stress in one day and needs to rejuvenate itself through sleeping. There are just some things that sleep can't fix, and so it's nice to enjoy doing something for yourself while still being conscious, right?
Don't get me wrong, having "Me Time" should be taken in moderation. You don't want to turn your whole life into living for yourself, especially if you have people who need you, like children, or a spouse, or friends or family who value your presence and support. But it's like that saying "If Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy." You can't take care of others if you aren't taken care of.
Every day, if it's a stressful day or a slow day, I always try to do one or two things that will perk my mood. I call it my Feed My Soul Moment. I feel that if I am being treated well I am sure to do a much better job and be happy doing that job.Here are some of the things that I do for my "Feed My Soul Moments:"
1. Wear the big comfy sweatshirt I borrowed/stole from my boyfriend. It's big, it's soft, it's navy blue, and I feel like I'm getting a big cozy hug from Adam when I wear it. He should have known he was never getting that sweatshirt back :P
2. Drink a hot chocolate/tea/coffee/wine/beer/white russian. I like drinks. The cozy kinds and the boozy kinds.
3. Relax or go for a walk outside. I love getting that sunshine and fresh air. Having a meal outside is such a luxury to me, so I love doing that. If it's not so windy I love to take a book outside to read, and if the weather is very warm I love to read or nap on the beach.
4. I like to buy a little gift for myself once in a while, like some flowers or chocolates (I'm such a romantic :P ) or nail polish, or a small gift for my hope chest (read my hope chest post). And I love when I get to visit the bookstore after I finished a book and am in need of replenishing my reading material.
5. Quietly reading, anytime, anywhere quiet.
6. Drive on a windy road with Mindy (my car). That mini adrenaline rush taking on the curves of the 192 is my kind of thrill.
7. Get a haircut when mine needs an update.
8. Sit and enjoy my morning coffee instead of drinking it while rushing.
9. Pet the cats. And seriously, if colleges could have 24/7 petting zoos for students I'm convinced every single student's GPA would significantly improve.
10. Paint my toe nails or file my finger nails. It's something I don't do too often, but it always makes me feel better knowing I can wear my sandals without being embarrassed over my unsightly chipped nail polish.
11. Do laundry. Yes, I love doing laundry!
12. Take a nap. Plenty a nap was coveted in college, and are still heavily appreciated today.
13. Send a hand written note card to a friend. I love to take a few minutes to show someone I was thinking about them. Plus it gives me an excuse to stock pretty note cards in my stationary drawer.
14. Having a laugh with friends. I am a firm believer that a life full of laughs is a well lived one.
Taking time or resources to indulge in little pleasures is just plain good for you. It's not at all a waste of time, and as wrong as this sounds, it's okay to be a teeny bit selfish once in a while. You work hard, you have done a lot for the good of others, and it is beneficial to your health and happiness to treat yourself once in a while. Do something on impulse every now and then. Buy yourself that scarf if you can't stop thinking how pretty the pattern was on you. Eat that ice cream you've been saving for a special occasion. Go on that walk in the park. Go out for a drink with your friends. Surround yourself with beautiful things if it helps you to be more happy and productive. Take time to reflect and appreciate the things you have. Have at least one Feed Your Soul Moment every day. Guarantee you will thank yourself for it. Enjoy.
Resources
Kelly Exeter Lifehacker Tip #3
http://www.kellyexeter.com.au/lifehacker-tip-3-indulge-yourself-every-day/
