How To: Prioritize Yourself
I missed you on Valentine’s Day! I basically took February off from my Mama Systems emails, so I want to love on you today as if March 29th was the new V-Day! It’s never too late to spread some love, right?!
Sometimes as a mama, YOU get lost. Between carpools, doctor appointments, dinner, laundry, practices, and anything else you can add to your resume, it’s not hard to see how this happens.
It is hard to prioritize yourself when we live under the tyranny of the “urgent.” And it’s everyone-else-we-care-for’s urgent, isn’t it?! Our “urgent” tends to get pushed under the rug.
Today, I am challenging you to pick two ways to love yourself.
First, I'm going to make a list of things so that you don't have to use your valuable brain space trying to think of an idea. This also eliminates your excuse that you can’t think of anything. I’m here for you, Mama.
The List:
- Take 5 minutes to deep breathe
- Turn on your favorite show or movie and hide
- Name 3 things you like about yourself
- Organize a space that normally brings you stress
- Buy yourself flowers
- Schedule that doctor appointment you’ve been putting off
- Clean your home
- Hire a coach or a counselor
- Ask a friend for help or just reach out to someone and let them know how you are struggling
- Create a routine around the busiest parts of your day
- Work a puzzle
- Get your hair done, or at least make the appointment
- Watch a little Jim Gaffigan or Michael MacIntyre, laughing is so good for your soul
- Take a walk around the block by yourself
- Meet a friend for coffee or lunch or a walk
- Go to a museum, library, book store, botanical garden… somewhere that brings you joy
Second, If you cannot do these things TODAY… schedule them! Put it on your calendar. As with the Intentional Time we talked about earlier this month, if you don’t schedule this, it won’t happen. And you have to be intentional with yourself just like you do with your people
I want to know what you choose. You are not choosing yourself OVER your people… you are choosing yourself ALONGSIDE your people. You are worthy of it and you deserve it and they deserve to know that you do, too.
You are loved, Mama!
Laura
