Are you putting others before you and taking care of everyone else but you?
This is such a common thing so many of us do.
But wait isn’t it selfish to first in the morning take care of yourself before you take care of your children, or the partner, or the dog, or the cat, or the plants, etc.? Our list is endless, we would do it all except taking care of ourselves.
And how to take 10-15 min for a short walk, a jog or just slowly sip and enjoy your coffee just a moment to yourself? Of course, we can’t, the world will collapse without us taking care of everyone and everything. Please forgive me, I cannot help but being a bit sarcastic here ;). You get the point.
Most of the people I talk to, and most of the clients I coach have this thing in common: ‘I have no time for myself. I am so busy taking care of everybody and everything else’.
And many days, months, years go by, without us realising that we have forgotten ourselves, we have depleted ourselves and there is very little of us left to give. And how to give when there is nothing left? How to pour from an empty cup? How to take care of others if the energy is depleted? We often only wake up when the body shows signs of illness of disease to remind us to take a pause.
Therefore, let me gently remind all of us, care takers out there, that the best way to take care of others is to take care of ourselves first.
But how to do it? ‘I have no time in the morning’, I hear you say. ‘In the evening, just after work, when I am so tried and I still need to take care of so many things at home, and the children, and the dinner and the dishes, the only thing I have energy for is to sit in the couch.'
I hear you but let me lovingly challenge you.
Let me list some simple examples:
It only takes 5 minutes to sit by the window or next to your favourite flowerpot on your terrace and sip slowly and mindfully your coffee. Just 5 min. That can be your moment for yourself.
It takes 5 minutes to close your eyes, take a few deep breaths and just acknowledge yourself for taking time for you. That can be your moment for yourself.
It takes 5 min to do a few stretches in the morning and notice how you are feeling at that moment and be gentle with yourself.
It takes only 5 minutes to simply lay in your bed, remembering all the little thing you are grateful in that moment.
What could be your 5 min? Try it tomorrow and be nice to yourself and I guarantee you will be much nicer to everyone else around you ;)
Here is a practical exercise for you:
Try to remember and notice tomorrow morning, as soon as you wake up, the first thoughts that come to you, the minute you open your eyes.
Do you often wake up with this stressful and overwhelming feeling that there is so much to do and not enough time?
Next time you feel that, I suggest you do yourself a favour and list all the things your mind is dictating as a to do list. Then study the list, pause, close your eyes and ask yourself who says I should do this? I bet the answer in many cases will be “you”. Have you noticed how demanding you can be to yourself? Have you noticed that you are probably your biggest critic?
Now each time you notice that, I invite you to pause and breath and choose to first take 5 min for yourself by following one of the above examples.
Follow us more in a workshop coming soon, where will go deeper in understanding all of these inner voices that dictate the long to do lists, distracting from finding our true connection with ourselves. We have to warn you, though, your life is about to change! Are you ready for the ride?
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