On October 9, 2019, I wrote a blog post titled 235 Days. In a nutshell, it was about the count down to my oldest son’s graduation day. Today is the 235th day. Today my son ends one journey and embarks on a new one.
Two hundred thirty-five days ago, we had a vision of what senior year would be like. First, there were the college visits and eagerly awaiting for the acceptance letters to come in the mail. The new year arrived, and 2020 was full of excitement and promise. Robbie applied and was accepted to all six schools. He narrowed it down to three and was looking forward to the accepted student days at each one. Winter was winding down, and there were two months of school left. There were so many things to look forward to, prom, senior skip day, the final bell, and all the senior events leading up to the big one, graduation.
Little did we know that with 80 days left until graduation, March 12, 2020, would be the last day Robbie would step into the high school. The place he had called home for four years would be no more. Sure, like everyone else, we thought this would blow over. The school was closed for deep cleaning. Surely we would be back to business as usual soon enough. The kids were told this was NOT a vacation. This was not the time to hang with friends. They were to stay home and socially distance themselves. If they did, they would go back to school. Okay, breathe, we got this.
However, our numbers began to climb and to be safe, the superintendent shut down the school until April. E-learning was put into place, and the kids were now learning from home. It was a whole new world for all of us.
It was at this point; I began to get nervous. The accepted student days were canceled and held virtually. College students were being sent home for the remainder of the semester. Massachusetts cases of COVID-19 were climbing at an alarming rate. We were predicted to go through a surge sometime in late April. Late April?? The kids were supposed to go back to school. It was then I started to see my son’s senior year disappear before my eyes. Sure enough, the Governor put a stay at home order in place until May 4th. May 4th??? The seniors finish classes mid-May! It was not looking promising. By April 22nd, 2020, it was a done deal.
Norwood Public School Buildings Closed For the Rest of the 2019-2020 Academic School Year
Per the order of Governor Charlie Baker, all Massachusetts schools will be closed for the rest of the academic school year. Remote learning will continue in the Norwood Public Schools.
All that he had and let’s face it, I had been looking forward to, was gone. There would be no prom, senior skip day, elementary school walk, or senior breakfast. They would not hear the final bell in the school that they loved. It was heartbreaking. Though, it turns out it was more heartbreaking for me than him.
No sooner was it announced that senior events canceled, our town kicked it into high gear. First, the wonderful staff at the high school delivered lawn signs. A Facebook page was created called Adopt a Norwood Senior. Families adopted other kids and spent the month delivering gifts to their homes. Their senior photos were featured on a jumbotron and shown for the world to see. Finally, graduation day arrived, and it was better than we could have imagined. We had a police escort to the high school where every teacher lined up to wave and say goodbye. There were decorations all around the school. Each student was announced, received their diploma, and took their photo in front of the “school on the hill.” It was a fantastic day.
Though all of these things mentioned above contributed to a beautiful day, what really made it special was my son.
Since day one of this pandemic, he never complained about what he was missing out on. Sure, he would have loved to skip the school work, but he knew it had to be done. He works part-time at a supermarket, and as his mother, I was not thrilled he was spending 20-30 hours a week there. He took his job as an essential worker seriously and went to work each day.
Do you think deciding which college to attend is easy on a good day? How about trying to decide which college to attend during a pandemic, where all accepted student days were virtual. Yet, that did not stop him. He weighed his options, had some good discussions, and made his choice. We could not be happier.
As I sit here thinking about the last couple of months, I am no longer dwelling on what he lost, but what he has reminded me. Life moves on. We need to roll with the punches and make the most of a crappy situation. Do our part to make this a better place. Our country is in turmoil, and these young adults are our future.
Though I may not be quite ready to share him with the world, in a few short months it will be time. Until then, I plan on enjoying every last moment with him.
On September 5, 2019, the school year started much like the prior years. The boys got up, I made them a special breakfast (one of the few times I do make breakfast), and I had them hold up signs telling the world what grade they were attending this year. However, this year was different. This year, I have a senior in high school. It would be the first of many lasts throughout the year. This would be the last “first day of school” photo he would take. It would be the last first day of school photo he takes with his brother. In 235 days, he will cross the football field and receive his diploma. In a year, he may be a few hours away from home enjoying college life. How did this happen?
On December 2, 2001, I held my sweet boy for the first time and thought of this day. I remember thinking, wow, he will graduate in 2020, thirty years from the day I graduated high school. I quickly pushed the thought aside. I mean come on, 2020 is so far away. It will be an eternity before it gets here. Not so much. Here we are 235 days until graduation.
I was lucky, both my boys were great sleepers. I never had those neverending nights that I wished would end. I did not wish away the infant stage. I mourned each stage as it ended. Yes, even the stage when my kid was a total jerk! He had his moments. Never mind the terrible twos, we had the f***ing fours! Even then, I never wished the days away. Now here we are, 235 days until graduation.
Robbie is our first, and the only one for almost four years. On October 19, 2005, he became a big brother to Nicholas. I want to say it was love at first sight, but this picture says otherwise.
Robbie enjoyed being the big brother. He had someone to share his childhood with and someone to boss around. There was a time where the boys did nothing but fight. It was terrible. However, now, I can say they are each other’s best friend. They share the same love and passion for sports. Nicholas looks up to his big brother, and Robbie thinks Nicholas is the smartest person he knows. The boys spend a lot of their free time together. Nicholas misses Robbie when he is away. It will be an adjustment for both of them. They have never been apart for more than a week at a time. My heart aches for them. Sigh…235 days until graduation.
Over the years, we have taken the boys on lots of vacations. I intended to show them as much of the world as I could before they left for school. There have been multiple trips to Cape Cod, New York, North Carolina, Washington, DC, Walt Disney World, Aruba, Disney cruises, Canada, Alaska, Europe, and more. When I look to the future, I see trips that include only three of us, not four of us like that past 14 years. We have less than a year to squeeze in as many family vacations as we can before other priorities take hold of our boy. He has only 235 days until graduation.
I look at my son, and I can’t help to think of my Mom. She adored this boy and thought he could do no wrong. They had an extremely close relationship. When she passed away five years ago, he was devastated. She was his biggest champion. She was to help guide him through these teen years. There was a time I was so afraid he would not get past her death. Well, he did, and I believe it is because she has been with him the whole time. In 235 days, she will be right by his side as he receives his diploma. In 235 days, I will whisper, “He did it, Mom.”
We are now in our second full month of school. We have a few more college visits planned. Robbie has retaken the SAT and started the application process. I thought I was doing okay. Then last Saturday night I received an e-mail with his senior photos. Once again, I was reminded 235 days until graduation.
#DONTBLINK
Last week I shared a Summer Bucket List of Ideas for Teens. It consists of a list of things I would like to do with my boys this summer. In addition to that list, I have created my own bucket list. Though I adore being with the kids, I have my own list of things I would like to accomplish this summer. Some involve them and some do not. Believe it or not kids, this Mom has her own life! Now before I dive into my list, I want to explain why I have a bucket list.
A few years ago, I was asked this very question, why a bucket list? Why do you feel the need to plan every moment of your life? Well, besides the fact I am a Type A personality, there is research that shows how beneficial a bucket list can be. A bucket list can help create a fulfilling life. It is essential to take time for things that we enjoy doing. Fitting in things like vacations and hobbies bring happiness and satisfaction in our lives. It makes life FUN! By fitting these things into our every day, we reduce stress and enhance our lives. Less stress??? Sign me up!
Here are the top things I want to accomplish this summer.
- PR in a 10k race.
- Road trip with the family.
- Finish my 2018 scrapbooks.
- Date night with the hubby and friends in the North End.
- Visit the new wax museum in Boston.
- Hit the beach at least every other weekend.
- Read six novels before Labor Day Weekend.
- Girl’s night once a month.
- Try the Alice Tea Room at Patriot Place.
- Visit some local craft fairs.
- Attend the Scrapbooking Expo in New Hampshire.
- Try a new restaurant twice a month.
- Freedom Trail Tour in Boston.
- Food Tour in Boston.
- Water Fires in Providence.
- Stay club level at Disney’s Beach Club Resort.
There you have it, my 2019 Summer Bucket List. Between this list and the one I did for the boys, it is jammed packed with activities. Will we do them all? Maybe not, but it will be fun trying. Now tell me, what is on your summer bucket list? Post a comment here or hop on over to one of my social media pages and let me know. Happy Summer!
The last couple of weeks my son, Robbie, and I have been on several college tours. Robbie is a junior and just recently, has shown interest in the whole college process. Last month he had met with his guidance counselor and had a chat about what he wanted to study. Now, up until this point, he had shown very little interest in college, at least to me. He mentioned 3-4 schools to his counselor and said he wanted to study sports management. After doing some research, we narrowed the list down a bit and made some appointments to see the schools.
Since mid-April, we have seen four schools and have three more on our list. This past weekend we were at a university up in New Hampshire for an open house and tour. It is a bit further away and slightly bigger than the other schools. However, from the moment he stepped on the campus, he seemed to fit in. He walked over to the mascot and had his picture taken.
He was engaged during the tour and had a great conversation with members of the sports management department. During our lunch, I asked him what he thought. He told me that this school is now his number one choice.
As we were walking back to the car, I could not help but smile and be excited about what lies ahead for him. At the same time, my eyes filled with tears and my stomach felt like it was in knots. You see, whether he attends this school or another, in a little more than a year, he will be gone. He will be off on this new adventure. It is was at this moment it became clear, he was never mine, to begin with, he was only on loan. I also realized the one thing no one told me when I became a Mom.
It is an exciting time ahead, but there will also be some tears along the way.
Today, I head down to Disney to participate in Disney’s Star Wars Race Weekend. However, before I have another trip to write about, I wanted to do a write up on our 10 day trip we took back in February. Despite being there many times, there were a few firsts and overall it was a different experience than our previous trips.
Our winter break happens to coincide with Disney’s Princess Race Weekend. I figured since I was running, why not make it a family vacation. Unfortunately, Bill could not join us, so it became a Mom and son’s trip, and we had the best time. There was little fighting between the boys. They went with the flow and did not complain about the go, go, go pace I have while at the parks. This was more likely due to how I approached this trip. I scheduled some downtime, which is NOT something I tend to do. However, it worked to my advantage, and we honestly had the best time. Now, I am not going to do a day by day breakdown for you. This is going to be a high-level report of some of the highlights and the new things we tried over the ten days. Are you ready?
The first thing that was new and different for us, was a split stay. We spent half the week at the Polynesian and half the week at the Beach Club. We stayed in the DVC section of each of the resorts. Both are amazing resorts and have their advantages. I love the feel and smells of the Polynesian. I love how it is a monorail resort and its close proximity to the Magic Kingdom. I love how the rooms have the split bathrooms. One is rather large with a toilet, sink and bath. The other has an awesome spa-like shower, sink, and vanity. The room also sleeps 5, which is very nice. We have stayed at the Poly many times and is usually our go-to resort. On Wednesday of that week, we headed over to the Beach Club. I loved the proximity to Epcot and Hollywood Studios. The room also sleeps 5, but we did miss having the two bathrooms. The pool was amazing. Of course we love Beaches and Cream and the boys had to try the cupcake milkshakes. If I had to pick one, I am still thinking the Polynesian. Nothing beats the view of the castle!
This trip, I wanted to try some new experiences or revisit a couple of old ones that were a hit or may have changed. We attended two dessert parties, Early Morning Magic at Toy Story Land over at Hollywood Studios and Disney After Hours at the Animal Kingdom. Each event had an additional cost on top of park admission, but I wanted this to be a special trip and in my opinion, each event, but one, was worth the extra money.
The first event was the Happily Ever After Dessert Party at the Magic Kingdom. The party is held at the Tomorrowland Terrace. The cost is $69.00 per adult and $41.00 per child. The price includes all you can eat desserts (we skipped dinner that day), juices, water, soda, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate.
There were trays of desserts like the ones above. They also had some hummus, cheese, and crackers. They had cookies, brownies, ice cream and make your own s’mores. If you love sweets, this is the place for you After you are done eating, you may, at your leisure, ask to be escorted down to the viewing area. We had seats in the hub area of Magic Kingdom. The viewing area for Happily Ever After is why I spent the money on this event. There is no fighting for a spot. One does not need to arrive 2 hours ahead of time for a good view. The spot is amazing and with a view like this, why not??
We also happen to do the Star Wars Galactic Spectacular Dessert Party at Hollywood Studios. We had attended this back in 2017, but it loved it so much, we had to do it again. I am glad we did. They made some changes to improve the event when I didn’t think the improvements were needed.
The party takes place inside Star Wars Launch Bay. At check-in, you receive a lanyard. The lanyard admits you and your party into the roped off area inside. Once inside, you are assigned to a table. The tables have numbers and under that number is an invitation. Okay, not so much an invitation, more like a demand. 😉
For those of you not familiar with the Stars Wars movies, the Commander would be Kylo Ren. He is a bit intimidating in the movie and here at Disney!
Storm Troopers roam about and interact with the crowd.
The Star Wars Galactic Spectacular Dessert Party includes something that the Magic Kingdom one does not, alcohol. For the price one pays to attend these events, after a long day in the parks, alcohol may be a must for some. Speaking of price, I believe this was the same price as the one in MK. Unfortunately, I did not partake in an adult beverage, as I was running the next day. However, I recall from 2017, and it was delicious. It is the same layout as the one at the Magic Kingdom. There are plenty of desserts, cheese, crackers, hummus, ice cream, and more. The party included soft drinks, coffee, tea, and alcohol. I found this party included a bit more, and the choices were better.
In addition to meeting Kylo and eating to our heart’s content, we were free to explore Launch Bay and see props and memorabilia from all the movies. At around 7:45 pm, we were escorted outside to our reserved seating to watch the show. As we were leaving, we were given a plastic mug, in the shape of Darth Vader’s head. The reserved seating area was fantastic. It had changed from 2017, and it is a much better view. I highly recommend this party, even if you are not a Star Wars fan.
Another first, Early Morning Magic at Toy Story Land. I knew there was no way my children would wait for 2,3 or 4 hours for Slinky Dog. I had heard the Early Morning Magic was fantastic. It includes a hot and cold breakfast and an hour and a half in Toy Story Land with access to all the rides. It was worth every penny. We rode Slinky Dog, Alien Swirling Saucers and Toy Story Mania many times. We also had our photo taken with Woody and Jessie. Around this time, the park had opened for the general public and crowds descended upon us. All I can say, purchase the Early Morning Magic, stat!!! The price for this event is $79.00 for adults and $69.00 for kids.
We did one other special event and that is Disney’s After Hours at the Animal Kingdom. The cost of this event is steep, $125.00 each. The event is from 8:00-11:00 pm certain nights of the week. Both rides in Pandora are open, Dinosaur, Everest, two showings of Rivers of Light and the Tree of Life Awakenings. There are snacks served around the park. The rest of the park is closed. This is a bit of a disappointment, but we knew that going in. The boys mainly wanted to go for access to Flight of Passage. We were able to walk right on that ride several times, as well as all of the other rides. However, we were only there for about an hour, when my youngest started to feel ill. It had been a long, hot day and he was done. Overall, the event was okay. I probably would not do it again due to the lack of areas in the park being open. Next trip, we do plan on doing the after hours at the Magic Kingdom. There is simply more to do.
During the ten-day trip, we had a couple of new character meet and greets. First, we met up with Cinderella’s wicked stepsisters over at the Magic Kingdom. This was by far, our best character experience. They spent at least 5-7 mins with the boys. They even set a wedding date!
Over at the Animal Kingdom, we met Scrooge McDuck. It was a great new photo op.
Though we did not get our photo with her, we did see the famous Kevin, from the movie Up. She was roaming around the Animal Kingdom most of the day.
The one we were most surprised to see was the Evil Queen. She rarely makes an appearance. However, a source close to the Queen said when they are new to the role, they go out and about to meet people. A practice run more or less. I was thrilled to meet her.
We also attended the Festival of the Arts over at Epcot. This is a fairly new festival to Epcot and we enjoyed what we saw. There was entertainment, such as the Disney Broadway Concert Series, seminars and demonstrations and 13 food studios with lots of delicious treats such as this Mac & Cheese Lobster in a cone. It is like a mini Food and Wine.
What I loved best about the festival, all the different photo ops. I know there was so much more to do and see, but I had teenage boys with me. Seminars and demonstrations, are not their thing. However, they were good sports and took some photos with me.
I am looking forward to experiencing it again next year.
Though, we had done this next experience before, it had been a while. On Sunday, we spent all day and night at the Magic Kingdom. It was very crowded and we had some time to kill while waiting for our Fast Passes. After riding Pirates of the Caribbean, I was looking around and thought, hey it has been a while since we were on Tom Sawyer’s Island. The kids and I jumped on the raft and headed over.
The island is on the banks of the River of America in the middle of Frontierland. It has some great views of the Haunted Mansion and Thunder Mountain. It is a self-guided tour, with maps, signs, bridges, caves, mills and more. It is inspired by the writings of Mark Twain. It has been years since we checked it out. At first, the kids were not too keen on doing it. However, once we started exploring, they had a blast.
Finally, the last ‘first” we experienced on this trip, was Nicholas’s 1st runDisney race. He and I ran the 5K together. I will never forget the look of joy as he crossed over the finish line!
There is so much more I could write about this trip. However, I am going to leave it here. There are many more Disney trips on the horizon for us. Be sure to check back to look for my review of the Flower and Garden Festival and the Star Wars Races. Both of these are new experiences to me. What I love most about Disney, no matter how many times we have gone, there is always something new to see and do.
Until next time, lots of faith, trust and pixie dust!
The last two weeks have been hard. Hard in the sense, I can’t get my act together when it comes to healthy, clean eating. I was doing great, down 7lbs and boom, something happened and it has been downhill since then. Well, I have to stop. I need to get back to my good, healthy habits. Not only does it help me lose weight, but more importantly, it makes me feel amazing. I have so much more energy. My running is better. I feel more confident in my clothes and myself. So, I sat down and sketched out what I need to do to reach this goal. I am going to Disney this weekend, and I would by lying if I said I was not allowing myself treats. I make this a lifestyle and not a diet. It needs to fit into my life. With that being, I still like to eat clean 85-90% of the time. In order for me to do that, I HAVE to meal prep. This is a non negotiable. If I don’t meal prep, then what has been happening the last two weeks, will continue to happen. So, off to the grocery store I went and stocked up on some things.
Now, you are probably thinking, I don’t have hours to spend in my kitchen, on a Sunday, prepping all my meals for the week. Well, neither do I, nor do I want to. I have plenty of other things I want to be doing, so here are my hacks to meal prep
- Cook batches of food, like chicken, turkey, pork or lean beef to have during the week as your protein. For example, I cooked a turkey breast in my crock pot for dinner this weekend. There was enough leftover for two meals. This, along with a bagged salad, will be my lunch for the next two days. This week, I plan on making a pork tenderloin in the crockpot. Leftovers will be used for lunch and probably one dinner. The same thing can be done with veggies or a carbohydrate. I will make a batch of butternut squash, roasted broccoli and roasted brussel spouts to have with the pork. Again, there is enough for 2-3 meals.
2. Buy your veggies and fruit already cut up and ready to go. Yes, it is more expensive, but time is money. These make great grab and go snacks. Throw in some dip or hummus and there you have a healthy snack.
3. Have the same breakfast during the week. This way you are only prepping one thing and it is ready to go. I have 2 go-to breakfast ideas I use through the month. My first is non fat Greek yogurt, with a tablespoon of chocolate hummus and a tablespoon of granola. Quick and easy to pack in my lunch bag. My second favorite requires a bit more work. I make egg cups on the weekend and portion them out for each day I will be eating them. I usually eat them for 4 days and then have yogurt on the 5th day during the week. I freeze the remaining egg cups and use within the next couple of weeks.
4. Have other convenient, yet healthy things that don’t take any time at all to cook. For example, frozen turkey burgers, chicken apple sausage, rotisserie chicken, hard boiled eggs, etc. These make great, quick meals. Add a side of frozen veggies and you are good to go.
5. If you eat out during the week, even the healthy options tend to be HUGE. Immediately ask that half of the meal be wrapped up and put in a box. Viola! You now have two meals.
6. Have meals you like and keep them in your rotation. Then it becomes second nature when planning your week ahead.
If addition to these 6 hacks, I thought I would share what my meal planning looked like for this week. This will help give you an idea on how simple, yet effective it can be.
Breakfast- Monday-Thursday: Non Fat Greek Yogurt with hummus and granola.
Lunch- Monday-Wednesday (Leave for Florida Thursday afternoon) Monday & Tuesday will be left over turkey with a bagged salad, Wednesday: left over pork tenderloin with left over veggies and whole wheat couscous.
Dinner- Monday- Flank steak and roasted broccoli. Tuesday- Pork tenderloin and roasted squash. Wednesday- Turkey burger on the grill with brussel sprouts.
I hope these hacks are helpful. I know I need all the help I can get when trying to get back on track. I have a big goal I am trying to reach in terms of my health and fitness and would love for you all to help keep me accountable.
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Welcome to another edition of my Love of the Week. This is where I talk about something I absolutely love. Today’s love… dry shampoo!
I don’t know what I would do without this product. It has to be one of the greatest inventions! I have naturally curly hair that more times than not, I straighten. I also have very thick hair. For me to have to wash, blow it out and then straighten, it can take more than an hour. That is a lot of time and time is never on my side. LOL! However, this could pose a problem for someone who works out six days a week, with at least 4-5 of those days consisting of running. As one can imagine, the sweat does nothing for my hair. Sweat leaves one with greasy, limp hair. So not the case with Not Your Mother’s dry shampoo and Batiste dry shampoo. Each one of these products leaves my hair feeling soft, smelling good, and full of body. I have been asked if there is any build-up of the product in my hair. My honest answer, eventually. If I use it so many days in a row, by the 5th day or so, I feel some. However, by then, I am rewashing my hair. Though I do have a confession, the picture below was taken this morning. This is day 7. I have been putting off washing my hair until after my long run today. I always wash my hair after a ten miler or more. I sweat too much!
As you can see, my hair is not greasy and is still full of body. It doesn’t feel too bad, either. So why don’t you give it a try? I would love to know your thoughts.
Happy Friday!
By now, I am sure you all have heard about the college admissions scandal being blasted across the news. Fifty some odd people, including two famous actresses, have been accused of handing out bribes to get their children into college. Well some say, including me, what else is new? This has been going forever. Ever wonder how the majority of children of famous people end up at really good schools? Coincidence? I think not. In any case, I am not writing today to bash wealthy celebrities. I am writing to talk about what the heck are we doing to our kids?
I am a mom of a 17 year old junior in high school. From the time he entered high school, heck even before that, there has been all sorts of talk about what he needs to do because it looks good on college applications. There is pressure for kids to be in honors/AP classes, play a sport every season, volunteer, join a club, get a job and the list goes on and on. The kids put the pressure on themselves, but as parents we seem to do a pretty good job of doing too. Heck, I am guilty of it. The first two years of his high school career was a lot of me telling him what do to. Not just guiding him, but tell him to do A, B & C. I was not letting him figure it out on his own. I was not letting him fall and make his own mistakes. I was doing him a disservice and driving us both crazy in the process! You can read more about what we struggled with here. https://lifeatmyownpace.com/lessons-in-motherhood/
It is no wonder these kids are being diagnosed with anxiety. It is no wonder these kids have such issues problem solving. As parents, we are there every step of the way holding their hand, not letting them fail. If we want to raise self sufficient, productive members of society we need to stop. We need to stop pushing them into doing things they don’t want to do and stop preventing them from failing. It is so much easier said than done. Believe me, I understand. However, in the long run, this is what is best for our kids. I am sure going to try my hardest, are you?
Not every week, but a couple times a month, I will share with you a tip related to productivity, goals, health & fitness, travel or just life in general. We could all use more tips in our life. Today’s tip has to do with working out and scheduling in that time. I am going to share what works for me.
I am a pen to paper girl. I am not a fan of electronic calendars, scheduling apps, etc . There is nothing wrong with them, it is just not my thing. However, this tip can be incorporated into your life, whether you are put it on paper or in your phone. I am often asked how I find the time to workout. I am a full time attorney, raising two busy teenage boys, with a husband, a dog and two cats. I also run this blog as a side hustle and do online health and fitness coaching. I have a full plate. Which is why it is so important for me to schedule my workouts, like I would any other appointment. I don’t just schedule them a week in advance, I schedule them a month out. Take a look.
As you can see above, I schedule out each of my cross-training days and each of my run days. I do take into account everything else on the calendar, but didn’t want to publish my every move, so left it off for today’s purpose. As you can see, I even schedule in my rest days. You will notice, there is not a time associated with each workout. That gets put down on the daily page in my planner. For example, April 2nd is a lifting day. On the page for April 2nd, I will put next to 5:00am- Liift4. Again, you make it like any other appointment on your calendar. By doing so, you are making it a priority and more likely that not, you will not cancel on yourself. Makes sense? So there you go.. your first Tip Thursday. I hope it helps!
Self-care seems to the be the buzz word these days. There are numerous articles written about it, podcasts that speak of it and whole books dedicated to the topic. I have to admit, at first I ignored it. I thought, who has time for that? I am a working mom, with a husband, two kids, a dog, two cats and a household to run. I will have time for that when they grow up, move out, etc. I am sure many of you have had the same thought. Well I am here to tell you, LISTEN UP, by incorporating self-care into your life, you suddenly have more energy to do the things listed above and you are a HAPPIER, yes I said HAPPIER, wife, mom, employer, etc.
First, what is self-care? According to the the dictionary it is “the practice of taking action to preserve or improve one’s own health or the “practice of taking an active role in protecting one’s own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress. ” This means different things for different people. My idea for self-care could be very different than your idea of self-care. What makes me happy, improves my health or helps me deal with stress looks different than my husband’s. I make it a priority to incorporate self-care each and every day. Some days it is 10 mins, other days it is longer. Some days it is reading a great book for 10 mins, other days, it is a 10 mile run. I schedule a massage every month and really working on getting more sleep. Below are some ways you can incorporate self-care into your day.
- Wake up 15 mins earlier each day and enjoy some quiet time. Journal about how you want your day to go or meditate.
- Take a walk outside. Just 10 mins of being outside can lift our mood and energize us for the rest of the day.
- Take a bath. I recommend using some epsom salt with lavender.
- Read a good book. Take 15 mins and read a chapter or two.
- Treat yourself to a massage or a mani/pedi.
- Exercise and make sure it is something you enjoy.
- Find a hobby and carve out some time each week to dedicate to the hobby.
- Limit social media. Much of social media is a highlight reel of our lives. Studies have shown it can cause others to feel bad about themselves and have negative thoughts.
- Sleep! This is one I struggle with, yet it is so important. I have been trying to up my bedtime by 10-15 mins. Some nights are easier than others.
I hope these suggestions help. When we take time to refill our cups, everyone in our lives benefit from it.
