You're Worth ALL of the Beautiful Things Life Has To Offer, Be Good to Yourself

Close your eyes. Breathe in deeply through your nose and release it. Do this a couple of times just paying attention to the back of your eye lids or how good the deep breaths feel. Now open your eyes. Does the world seem different? I've been told that taking time for yourself is like creating a new beginning. Every time you do something for yourself it's like the world starts over and you're allowed to hope again. Self-care is something I've been researching for the past year. As a teacher it's imperative to the profession to rejuvenate yourself for fear of succumbing to the ear piercing, nails on chalkboard peril that awaits you. Self-care was a luxury I couldn't afford back in February. I understood the importance of taking time for myself but never did it. Any more I have to make time for myself or I become easily irritated, sensitive, and just childish. Childish you say?? Yes! That kind of childish where you're sitting on the couch, looking around with that furrowed uni-brow, angry duck-face look, just praying a weak spot presents itself so you can unleash the beast within and get rid of the dark cancer spreading its way throughout your body. Example:

*Couch begins to cause irritation to back* Me:*flops around irritably as if trying to punish the couch for causing me discomfort* "We should have thrown this couch away when we moved!! I HATE this terrible couch."

OR...

*trips over a random pair of shoes* Me: *Groans like my vocal chords needed a good exercise. "Who put these shoes right in the middle of the room!?! (Me and they're not in the middle of the room)" *Picks up shoes and throws them*

We've all had a moment where we took a third person perspective to our own life and thought, "Was that me?" No one tries to be overly sensitive or quick to a meltdown. If you feel like this ask yourself, "When was the last time that I did something for me?" I know what you're thinking...Self-care is expensive. It takes too much time, time that I don't have. Self-care can be exhausting. I have other people I have to take care of. I do plenty of self-care right here on my couch, too much in fact... All of these thoughts I've felt to my core but in the end all of these feelings are symptoms that you're not doing what your body needs to feel as though it can exhale. Revitalization looks different for every person, for me it means doing something below:

1. Getting my nails done  (At home or at the mall.  Nail  polish and masks are sold at dollar tree <3 )

2. Writing in my journal 

3. Going to AA meetings 

4. Yoga/meditation (On you-tube search yoga for beginners. Pick any video that works for you and it's free. )

5. Watching a movie I love (I typically choose one I already own or go to the theaters depending on my budget.)

6. Playing nostalgic video games

7. Creating a small to-do list and completing it.

8. Baking

9. Gardening

10. Getting a treatment on my hair from GreatClips (It's only $10 for a conditioning treatment at GreatClips or you can buy some coconut oil: Lather it in your hair let it sit for an hour and wash it out. It gets oily but it's really good for your hair.)

I made this list when I realized I was making my way down into a low. I asked myself what I would do if I were free? No obligations, no people to worry for or about, no time management problems, just me time. These were the things that came to mind. The biggest part is that I would do all of these things preferably alone. I love people in my life but when I'm fixing myself I need to do it where I don't feel like I have to be x, y, or z for someone else. My message for today is take care of yourself! Whatever that looks like for you, do it or be it. Make time, take time and reset yourself. It will be better for your obligations in the long run I promise. Don't wait until you're close to a meltdown, or in one, to relax. Relaxation is necessary when you're learning how to deal with your feelings as they come to you. Being able to separate yourself from a situation helps so much. If you need any tips or ideas or just want someone to grab a coffee with let me know! We may not physically be able to grab a coffee together but we can get coffee, take pictures of our experience and message each other. Comment below of moments where you are taking good care of you <3.