I'm keeping this short (as per my curfew rules below) but I just wanted to share a few thoughts...
It's nothing new to say that as women we juggle a whole load of roles that all need to be fully functional simultaneously. We juggle being a mom, wife, daughter, sister, friend, entrepeneur, business woman... and although I'm not suggesting that men have an 'easy ride', I AM saying that, in the majority, women need to do the juggling work better.
We are, by and large, the ones who ensure that daily life runs smoothly - cooking the dinner; prepping the packed lunches; doing the drop-offs; ensuring everyone has clean clothes hanging in their closets; paying the water bill; remembering your mother in law's birthday card; creating the patch-work quilt of childcare for the half-terms, holidays, sick days, Inset days (...) not to mention growing our businesses or investing in our careers.
We are often the centre-point of the household - physically and emotionally - pragmatically and energetically holding the home together. And it is specifically because of this that we need to remind ourselves of the simple truth - that we need to love ourselves too. Whatever that means for you; consider it, define it, invest in it.
It seems so ridiculous that we need a reminder - but speak to any busy mama and you'll hear the same story over and over.
So starting this month I've decided to make a few 'happiness promises'. This month includes treating myself to a massage - 75 mins no less! (and enjoying each minute of it mindfully without letting my mind wander on to work or the afternoon ahead) and secondly, to implement a (realistic) 2 nights/week screen curfew of 2 hours before bedtime. These may well sound trivial but by writing them down I'm giving myself not only the commitment to keep them but the permission to fully enjoy them.
I work hard. I'm a devoted wife and mother. If I'm honest with myself, I'm pretty proud of how I'm doing on the life-front. But I don't want each week to race past and feel like I'm barely hanging on between one Monday morning and the next.
So here's my challenge - try it for yourself. What brings you joy? What soothes your soul or quietens the static? Even if you invest in 5 quality minutes a day - try it and see what space it opens up in your life...
For every minute that I stop, breathe and remember why I love my life and in turn, myself, I become a better, more patient, more whole-hearted human being. And who couldn't do with feeling a little more like that?! : )