Occasionally, I feel like I’m going to combust when I spot the growing pile of laundry on my couch.
It's right about when Legos are taking over my living room, I’m barking at the kids and I’m not even sure I remembered to brush my teeth that morning.
Yeah, It’s not pretty.
Being resentful of everyone who depends on me is a sure sign I’ve been seriously neglecting myself.
When we eat the right foods, not only does our health change, but our mood, relationships and overall happiness improves.
Yet, no matter how much broccoli we eat, if we’re not taking time for ourselves, life gets out of whack.
I know you’ve been there or maybe you’re there now.
It’s totally ok, there’s an easy way back to sanity and it won't take a ton of money or striving for perfection to get there.
Here are five simple steps to start making yourself a priority.
So, why bother?
Because unless you take time to fill yourself up with love, there won’t be much left in your tank for the people around you.
Besides, you are so worth it!
Five steps to make yourself a priority:
Schedule a date with yourself
Schedule time for yourself every week. Put it on the calendar and stick to it.
This is not for food shopping or running errands. This is your time to pamper yourself.
My husband and I usually take turns on Sunday.
A yoga class or reading the paper with my phone turned off and I'm a new woman!
Parents and even people without kids have a hard time doing this.
There’s so much guilt around taking time for ourselves. But you owe it to yourself and the people around you to do this.
Knowing I've blocked time off for myself makes me such a cooler mom.
Suddenly, I’m way more likely to leave the dirty dishes in the sink and get on the floor to play with my kids.
The best part, if something comes up and you get robbed of your “me time”, it’s cool, you’ve got it on the calendar for the following week!
Take time in the morning
The best way to handle whatever life throws at you is to carve out time for yourself before you have to start running around.
Waking up to a rushed shower or a wide-eyed kid ready for breakfast is no way to start your day.
I like to do a short online yoga class in my living room before the sun comes up.
If you’re not a morning person, no worries. Your feet don’t even need to hit the ground to take advantage of the early hours.
Keep a journal next to your bed and scribble down your morning thoughts.
Even if you’re writing “I’m tired” or “I need to buy new curtains” it’s a great way to clear out the clutter in your mind and start the day fresh.
I love keeping headphones next to the bed to listen to a guided meditation.
Even waking up 10 minutes earlier to do something for yourself can transform your day.
Turn your bathroom into a mini-spa
Use products that make you feel fantastic.
You might not have time for a pedicure or a facial but you can still create a spa-like nook in the woman cave…aka, your bathroom.
Lately, I’ve been overhauling my beauty products for less toxic and more natural ingredients.
I’ve been particularly digging the aloe-herb cleanser and toning mist by Annmarie Gianni Skin Care.
Also, I've really liked Andalou's Pumpkin Honey Glycolic mask.
To find out how your product’s score for toxic levels, check out the Environmental Working Group's amazing Skin Deep Web site and free App.
Nourish yourself with delicious food
Too often, I catch myself filling up on all kinds of crap.
Eating granola bars in the car or the peanut butter and jelly scraps off my kids’ plates, is just sad and no way to nourish myself.
How we feed ourselves says so much about how we live our lives.
So prepare yourself delicious food. Eat sitting down and chew slowly.
Get outside
If you can’t get away from your responsibilites, at the very least, get outside.
Breath fresh air and feel the sun on your skin.
Even in the dead of winter, we can sneak out of the office or drag the kids outside for 15 minutes.
Being stuck inside under florescent lighting is just depressing.
A few minutes with the sun on your face can do more for you than Zoloft.
Take a slow walk to your car, stand on your porch or put the snow pants on the kids and make it an adventure.
Just get out there!