self-care

I believe that guilt can be a huge hurdle to self care. Thoughts run through my head all of the time, things like: should I really go to that yoga class, when I could be home taking care of my daughter? But, I need a break from wiping my daughter’s tushy and cutting up her food in little pieces. I need to move MY body and feed MY soul. This is essential for my health. It makes me a better mom and a better woman.

That little guilt voice creeps into my head pretty regularly, especially now that I am a mom. I see it all around me in various situations, like wives feeling guilty about time away from their husbands or people feeling guilty about missing a friend’s birthday party. The little guilt voice can arise in any situation where a person is deciding between doing something for another person versus doing something for themselves.

Truthfully, it has always interested me, this way what so many of us constantly put others before ourselves. In my own experiences, I have especially seen women struggling with this. There are many women who would do anything for their family and friends, but don’t have the same type of self love for themselves. I make sure that my daughter has healthy, balanced meals, mainly organic, every day, so shouldn’t I do the same for myself? I make sure she gets fresh air daily and has time to crawl around (baby exercise), and so I strive to treat myself and my body the same way.

I am a firm believer that self care is essential to good health. I encourage my readers to make this a priority. We are so eager to help others, to “be there” for our friends and family, but we must give our bodies and souls the same amount of respect and care. Remember that you deserve it as much as your loved ones.