Why Are We So Hard to Care For?

It’s a myth that only moms who have the time engage in self-care.

Time is one of those precious jewels that we can never have enough of (myself included!). But surprisingly, self-care has very little to do with time.

This means that even if your schedule is jam-packed with no wiggle room, you still have the potential to lounge in the arms of self-care.

So why do so few of us indulge in self-care regularly?

Because we’ve come to associate self-care with luxurious activities requiring time, such as spa days, pedicures, massages, and vacations. And unless we have the time or money to indulge in these magnificent ways, we often miss out on the opportunity to offer ourselves love and care.

Self-care actually begins with opening up to the abundant ways of receiving it, and making our hearts available to experiencing self-care regularly.

Journey Into Your Imagination

Opening your heart to receiving self-care requires a little imagination. So, what does that mean? It means being open to any and all possibilities of joy. Self-care sometimes requires you to slow down ever so slightly to experience the everyday happiness (I call them miracles) in our lives.

As you’re rushing everyone out the door in the morning, you hear the sound of your wind chimes and you pause to enjoy the delightful jingle. Or, before you go from one child’s need to the next, you stop to engage in a simple yoga breathing exercise.

I recently had an opportunity to use my own self-care imagination, while waiting for my daughter’s school bus to arrive. One afternoon, I arrived home from work early with a whopping 15 minutes to spare. It was a beautiful day and rather than dashing inside to clean up the morning breakfast dishes and fold laundry, I sat in the car with the windows down and enjoyed the spring air, basked in the sun’s glow, and listened to the chirping birds.

Of course, I could’ve chosen my to-do’s over fresh air and sunshine. But I saw the moment to rest in the loving hands of care and I seized it.

You may be in the eye of the hurricane most hours of the day, but it’s still possible to slow down just enough to rest in happiness in a meaningful way that fills you up.

Showing Your Loyalty

Once you open yourself to the endless possibilities of self-care, you may begin to notice that more opportunities present themselves. And soon it’s less of a struggle to indulge.

It’s like finding hidden treasures throughout your day. Maybe you get a full shower to yourself with no interruptions, and you find solace in the few moments of solitude. Or, during nap time you escape with a book you’ve been itching to dig into.

But it takes a tender devotion to pause and sit down with these tiny little miracles throughout your day. And when you welcome such pleasures, you’re devoting yourself to the practice of care.

And believe me, your well-being, your spirit, and your body are worth the loving affection of self-care.

While it’d be nice to have more spa days and massages on the schedule, the reality is that we often don’t have the time. And that’s okay.

So, don’t deprive yourself of self-care because you don’t have the time to indulge. In fact, celebrate the that you can tap into the unlimited possibilities of self-care ahead of you.

Do you need help with sparking your self-care imagination? Know that you don’t have to figure it out alone. Contact me for a private consultation.