On the Importance of Doing Things for YOU

This one is dedicated to all you mamas out there.

Yes, you.

Stop hiding; I see you.

You're the tired mama with the wrinkled shirt and the bags under your eyes. 

The mama who drove all the way home from preschool drop-off only to find that the lunchbox was sitting on your passenger seat so you had to drive all the way back to school to drop it off.

The mama who pulls it together every day, from dropping the kids off at daycare, working eight hours, picking the kids up from daycare, driving home, making dinner, getting the kids ready for bed, and then collapsing in a heap of exhaustion.

The mama who stays home with her kids all day, is lucky to get a shower, or you'd even be grateful for five uninterrupted minutes in the bathroom; juggling juice cups, laundry, and making sure your house doesn't burn down.

I see you. I am you.

We know being a mother is an amazing ride. We are superheroes, whether you work outside the home, stay at home, or work at home.

Becoming a mother was the singlehandedly most transformative thing that could have ever happened to me. It completely changed me as a human being in ways I could not have dreamed in a million years. I am eternally grateful to that sweet little girl who came into our lives and won our hearts the second we knew she existed. She allowed me to find my true calling and learn I was good at things I had never tried (baking? crafts? cleaning? Crazy.).

I'm sure all you mamas agree.

But I have found myself getting sucked into the routine of the every day. You know what it is. You wake up and you are instantaneously on autopilot. And then it's bedtime and you don't know where your day went, but you know that your family is okay and that's all that matters. And in the long run, that really IS all that matters. You have what is most important to you, and they are safe and sound.

But about YOU? In the chaos of autopilot, you have forgotten that you are a person, too. You get lost in "mommy mode," and sometimes it's hard to find your way out.

Back in January, I made the decision to do something for myself, and that's what brings me here today. I have taken my health and fitness into my own hands, have decided to help other moms and women make that same decision, and that is something that is not only making ME feel better, but it is having an amazing impact on my family. We eat better. We do things outside more often. My daughter is my "burpee buddy" (no one better tell me that three year old burpees aren't the cutest thing in the whole wide world). I know I am setting an example for Peyton, because she knows that fruits and veggies will make her big and strong.

In the long run, though, this is something that I do for myself. It is my "me time," and I think ALL mamas should make it a point to get in that me time. During that hour that I am working out each day, I am present with my own thoughts. I am present with myself. I am rediscovering and reconnecting that woman buried behind the dirty laundry, full dishwasher, and runny noses. I am all the more happier for it.

And you know what they say...happy mama, happy life ;)

I understand that it is HARD to somehow fit in that hour, but I really think every single mama, or hell, every single WOMAN, should do something every day that is especially for them. We are selfless, ladies, but there is nothing wrong with taking some time for YOURself.

Wanna know how? I have some suggestions. I am certainly no pro, but here are some ideas I've brainstormed. The beauty of it is you can find what your passion is and go with it!

Schedule a time for mani/pedi. Or, lock your bedroom door, turn on some music, and give yourself that mani/pedi.

Take a walk. Just you, yourself, and your head. Or maybe some music. And no, not the greatest hits of Disney Junior in your iTunes playlist, either.

Go the library. Check out a book. And READ IT.

Wake up a little earlier than usual. Sit in the silence with your favorite coffee or tea. (This is one of my favorites!)

On the flip side, go to bed an hour earlier, if you can. Get that extra hour of sleep. Set your DVR; "Scandal" will be there when you wake up.

Take a bath. Light some candles.

Like crafting? Make a new piece of home decor, scrapbook, or crochet or knit yourself a new scarf.

And my personal favorite: work out. Join a gym, go to spin class, go for a run, find an at-home program you can do. Get active! Burn off some stress, release some tension, and get healthy while you're at it. If you are interested in workouts that you can do from your living room, by all means give me a shout!

Let's get real, mamas. We make everyone else a priority. I'm not saying to make yourself the priority ALL the time, but a hour a day isn't so bad, right? 

Find yourself again. Rediscover that woman. You are supermom. You are superwoman.