Extreme Self Care

If you are like most women, your life is pretty full, and you may have a chunk of your time allotted to taking care of others: family, friends, community, etc. Where do you fit in? Since embarking on my budding life coaching business, I’ve been taking in a steady diet of empowerment materials, books, courses, etc. I first heard this concept of “extreme self care” from author and life coach, Cheryl Richardson, who has written a number of books on the topic, including Take Time for Your Life, and Life Makeovers. But I am not only speaking to the ladies. I have male friends who are busy with work, school, children, church, and other activities. And if you are in business for yourself, the fun never stops! We are all such slaves to our “crackberries” lol. I say this as I raise my hand timidly to acknowledge my own addiction. I invite us all to take a moment and reflect. Ask YOURSELF (like Janet Jackson years ago), “What have you done for ME lately?”

Today I am home alone, and enjoying every moment! This year has been a busy one! One week has blended into the next, bringing with it a host of obligations and responsibilities. The past year was a big one for me. I learned a lot about myself and life in general, invested in myself and my business, and raised the bar on what I can expect out of life. But of course, as a result, my life is much fuller, and with the bar raised, there is always more for me to do!

But that’s why I am here today, so I digress. Let’s talk. About YOU. What have you done lately to take care of yourself? Do you set aside time for you? To read, pray, meditate, spend time with friends? Have you ever gone on a trip by yourself? Have you taken yourself to the movies or on a daytrip – a drive to your favorite park or beach? When is the last time you went on vacation... a REAL vacation that didn’t include doing errands or projects around the house? Do you take time to exercise?

Speaking of exercise, I am so impressed with my church. Our pastor and leaders recently organized an effort to get members involved in fitness activities, including walking, biking, aerobics, weight training and stretching. I attended a meeting about it this week. Lay leaders will be leading each of the disciplines. I am joining the walking group. It will help me get more involved with my church (something I’m a bit ashamed about) and make authentic connections with people, as well as helping me to train for my third year participating in the Susan G Komen 3 Day Breast Cancer Walk. Exercise is one important way of taking care of our temple – the body that God gave us. We only get one! We need to respect our bodies and take care of ourselves. In addition to prolonging your life, exercise relieves stress and releases endorphins, which helps with our overall well-being.

My challenge to you today is this…. Get out a piece of paper and think of 3 things that you could do for yourself.

1. Pick one thing that you can do on a daily or weekly basis (like taking more time for yourself – to exercise, relax or to connect with loved ones). Make a commitment to yourself to do this ONE THING regularly. Just for you.
2. Pick one thing that has been on your “maybe one day” list, and find a way to treat yourself to it – sometime in the next 2-6 months. If it involves money you may have to save or find a way to get the money together. If it’s relatively simple, you can implement it sooner than that!
3. Are you ready for #3? It’s a big one that requires some prep. Allow yourself to dream. Really dream. What’s one thing that you want to do, but never thought you could? What’s one thing that you want to do, but have no idea on earth how it would happen? If it’s something that you REALLY want to do, I encourage you to not let time, money or fear stop you. Life is short. I say this all the time – tomorrow is NOT promised. Take time for you. You are certainly worth it.
   
   God bless.
   T Ramsey
   © April 2010