At the beginning of the year, I decided to prioritize self-care. In doing this, I committed to taking at least one day each month to do something that brings me joy—something that is for me. Being a mom of two and a wife, practicing self-care has sometimes brought about guilt. How can I take time for myself when my family needs X.Y. and Z? After my first self-care day, I quickly realized that taking time helped me be more present and pleasant with my family.
During my first self-care day, I painted, took a nap, created a vision board, and worked out. I felt so peaceful this day. I woke up that morning and enjoyed an excellent breakfast while watching the sunrise. Being up that early is usually not my forte; however, knowing that the day was dedicated to me allowed me to enjoy being up without thinking of what I had to do for anyone else. I prepped for this day by ordering a canvas with a picture already drawn that came with paint and brushes and ordered books to use for my vision board. I found that to be key for a self-care day. It must be intentional. It is something that you should avoid walking into haphazardly. I am not saying that you can’t; however, the impact of being intentional allows you to be truly present in your self-care.
As February rolled around, I prepared for self-care day number two. This day was different and the same as the one before. Two things that were the same were that I was intentional about spending time with myself and started my day early with a loose plan. For February, I decided to go with the flow. I was intentional about doing something different for self-maintenance, which was to wax my legs at home. It was an exciting experience. I’ve never used wax strips, so I can’t 100% say I’ll do it again. I had a great brunch and worked on a yoga article. It was fantastic to spend time studying chakras and specific yoga poses. In addition to writing, I recorded a yoga video. While most of the day was for me, I did some family things because I felt like it. Not because I felt obligated or forced. Solely because I was feeling good and it was something I wanted to accomplish.
After picking up the kids and getting them to bed, I hung out with my spouse for a while and headed out to a sole movie date and saw The Book of Clarence. It was a very enlightening movie. I enjoyed it with French fries and tea. After the movie, I went to Bowlero, an arcade/ bowling alley. The film ended late so I was only there for over an hour. It was fun to play whatever games I wanted. While that could have ended my day, the fun didn’t stop there. I headed home and changed my clothes to go to the gym. Even though it was technically the next day, because I hadn’t gone to sleep yet, it was still a part of my self-care day. I went and had a great workout. Finally, I went home to wind down and get some sleep—another fantastic day of caring for me.
Side note: I habitually precede my self-care day with a good night’s rest the night before. The last thing you want when beginning a day is to be exhausted.
We are in March, the third month of the year, and my self-care day was interrupted, which surprisingly didn’t upset me—the day started with me sleeping in. Once I finally got up, I enjoyed some tea and set up to paint. Due to family needs, I didn’t finish my painting. However, I wanted a delicious meal before heading out to care for my mom. Since my original day was interrupted, I have reviewed the calendar and established a new self-care day I look forward to.
So, we are three months into the year, and the practice of self-care has only positively impacted my life. During these last three months, I have found value in enjoying my own company, something that was a struggle for me four months ago. In addition to enjoying my own company, I reignited my love for creativity. I started painting again. I haven’t painted in a while, and it was amazing.
As a mom, I can’t emphasize the importance of taking time for yourself—not as a mom, but as a person. It is so important to regularly spend time getting to know yourself and finding opportunities to enjoy things that bring you peace and joy. Making self-care a regular part of my life has improved my home life and made me a better partner and mother. More importantly, it’s made me a more peaceful individual. I desire this type of connection for everyone.
Do you practice self-care? If so, how and how often?
My Self-Care Journey
