Am I Really Taking Care of Myself?

Last month I told you that it was okay to not be okay. I shared the different resources that were readily available to you with one click of your mouse. This time I am taking it one step further. I want you to take a minute and answer the following questions. First question, “When is the last time that you took a day off just for yourself?” This excludes family, friends, and especially your co-workers. Second question, “What would you do if you could take the next 24 hours off without having to worry about ANYTHING? And yes, this includes not cooking, working, and taking care of ANY family members. Third, could you do this without becoming stressed out, anxious, or feeling guilty about it?

When I asked “when was the last time you took a day off”, some of you probably responded with; “I didn’t have to work Saturday and Sunday because I was off from work.” You might have been off from work, but were you off from all of your regular responsibilities? If you paused, sighed, or made a facial expression, then I am talking about you. In Genesis 2 vs 2; “On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work.” (N:T). What about you? If God can take a break, so can you. If you don’t take time out for yourself, and you burn yourself out, the work that you must get done won’t get done any way. It’s important to regroup every once in a while, so that you can get refreshed and re-energized for your tasks.

So, let's say that you have decided to splurge a few hours on yourself, what are you going to do? One of the reasons why people don’t take time off for themselves is because they have never given it any consideration; they are always working. Right now, I want you to think about three things that you would like to do if you had 24 hours to yourself. Your answers must include three new and different things. I am purposely not listing any of my own examples because I truly want this list to be a list of YOUR ideas, not mine.

Now that you have listed your ideas, I want you to set a date on your calendar. You put everything else on your schedule, why not put a ‘date with yourself’ appointment on your calendar? No more excuses. You are going to go out and enjoy yourself. Remember, your mental health is just as important, if not more important than your physical health. If you don’t believe me, just think about what stops you from getting most things done. It’s the thing between your ears that stands in the way of enjoying yourself for a little while. Every excuse starts inside of your head.

Now that you have mustered up the courage to go out and enjoy yourself, there is just one more critical piece that must be mentioned. Don’t feel guilty about enjoying yourself. If you start second guessing yourself or start doubting your decision to take some time off for yourself, STOP! Believe me, everything that was calling you before you took your break has not evaporated. It is still waiting for you to answer the call. If you don’t believe me, check your email, stand next to a family member, or read that text on your phone.

Hopefully you now understand the importance of taking some time for yourself. We all get caught up in the notion that things will not get done if we don’t do them. I’m here to tell you that if, God forbid, something serious were to happen to you, and you weren’t around to complete the task, someone else would have to pick up the slack. If they don’t, it’s not a negative testament about you, however, it really says a lot about the person, or people in your circle(s) who cannot, or will not, pick up the slack for a few hours while you get some much-needed self-care. I hope that you enjoy yourself! See you next issue!