Naturally, women tend
to care for their children, house and spouse before doing for themselves. If
you find yourself doing this, you may be burning the candle at both ends.
My New Year’s Resolution
this year centers on taking time for my self-love and care. We’ve all heard it,
if momma isn’t happy then nobody is. I took a much-needed, hard look in the
mirror and decided to make my happiness a priority. In 2024, I am focusing on
my well-being before saying yes to shuttling my children to their next activity
or volunteering outside the home.
Even if money is
tight, consider adding a line item in your family’s budget for your own wellness.
You don’t have to break the bank but take some time for yourself and treat yourself
to a little something new. Investing in self will help you feel better about
yourself and stay connected with others. For me, being a stay-at-home mom is
isolating at times, so finding activities that energize me helps to maintain my
sanity.
Your self-care can be
anything from grabbing the corner booth with a favorite treat to giving
yourself permission to sit quietly for 30 minutes to read, knit or pray. Downtown
Fredericksburg also offers a lot of free activities that you can take advantage
of solo or with friends. I’ve most recently enjoyed First Friday with friends
or a quiet stroll on the Canal Trail.
Making changes from
within is really the only way my New Year’s Resolution will become reality.
Here is how I am investing in myself, and how you can do the same:
Be Intentional – What makes you happy? If you can
earnestly do it without feeling stressed, then keep it as a part of your daily
or monthly activity. If it makes you feel resentful, get rid of it. For me, it
was dropping an activity downtown so I could eat dinner with my family instead
of fighting Route 3 traffic.
Set Boundaries – Does looking at your overscheduled
calendar give you hives or fulfillment? Perhaps when all is said and done you
feel accomplished, but at what cost? A stressed-out momma isn’t worth anything
to her children or family. So drop the façade and politely send your regrets.
Nowadays I get excited when plans fall through and I get an unexpected quiet
evening at home.
Protect Yourself – Just because everyone expects you to do
it all doesn’t mean you have to be the one to do it. Give yourself permission
to ask for help and delegate responsibilities. It’s OK to put yourself first
and allow for your own happiness before others. There isn’t enough time in this
lifetime to maintain relationships with people who invalidate your self-worth.
By keeping my friends circle small, I am able to focus on friendships that
really matter.
These actions may
upset others and may not be the popular choice, but if you can look in the
mirror and love the person you see, then your investment in self is paying off.
