Taking Care of myself
The end of the year. The frazzle, the hustle, the stress.
Our society is so fast paced and individualized. We all just pop from one thing to the next rarely asking others for help or involvement. We don't just stop. Even as we excitedly look forward to Christmas or vacation with the family, we plan the activities, the meltdowns, the things we must do in order for it to be enjoyable or relaxing or calm. We plan every second of our time so that we can attempt to limit the distractions. I focus the majority of my time on taking care of others needs and getting from appointment to lesson to school and getting things that are necessary to maintain our household. I manage it daily and constantly. It is no different this time of year or middle of the summer!
Being a caregiver in any situation requires 100% all the time. As we carve out time for family and fun and tasks, we also need to remember to carve out time for ourselves. That makes me laugh like I am loosing my mind... carve out time for myself. What a joke! But of course it is crucial. Without feeling healthy, happy and in control of something it is impossible to give 100% to the ones that need you the most.
So I thought about 5 things... just five that may make you wonder or think if you can do that... and perhaps if we all just try one of them we can make it another day or hour or week!
#1.... Go to the bathroom. No kidding. Drink a glass of water (or 8 glasses) and enjoy them. Make your kids drink a glass of water. And then when the need arises, go to the bathroom. Close the door and take an extra 30 seconds to sit there. Run your hands under the water an extra few seconds and just enjoy that warm water. That little brief moment in the bathroom can give you a few moments to reset your sanity!
#2.... Go for a walk! Cold weather or warm weather... dress the kids. Walk down the end of the driveway or the end of the block. Don't carry anyone. Play eye spy with them if they need entertaining. Or search out interesting things along the way. Fresh air. Breath it in! The sun, wind, cold.... just feel them. Let your children feel them! Just those short minutes outside can make even the most stressful days seem less stressful. Besides, the melatonin may help everyone sleep!
#3.... Do something creative! Don't say you can't! Bake a cake. Write a postcard. Doodle in a notebook. Garden. Creative energy is calming and works the side of the brain that is often stagnant! Immersing yourself into that creative task forces the mind away from the routines, schedules, bills and the regular things that may be causing some stress! It doesn't matter your skill at it, but doing the creative thing helps bring you back into focus!
#4.... Read a book. A magazine. A cookbook. Something other than facebook!! We are such a society of facebookers. But often seeing the social part of our lives repeatedly makes us fret even more about the problems and stress we may have. Step back from the internet and the problems and read something just for pure pleasure! I'm certainly not the one who can sit for hours reading because well frankly, have you been to my house! But I can sit for 5 minutes every so often and read. I like odd magazines (Clay Times, Runners World, Modern Farmer) and books with good stories! And those 5 minutes can transport me into another time, place or world. It is also really good for my fast little boy to see mommy read and to read with him. But that break from my world gives me the strength to carry on!
#5... Write a blog! Oh heck yes! I started my blog soon after Espen was born to just vent! And to keep my mind fresh! Then last year I started another to separate sensory processing from my broken life. I write to let out my fears, frustrations, hurt, worries and joys! I write the honest gut wrenching truth. Sometimes it is uncomfortable. Sometimes funny. Always honest. And it makes me feel better. I write to keep myself sane. To get it on "paper" and out of my brain! So go ahead.. start a blog to just get it out there... write it and forget it! And even when people start to read the crap you write about, just keep being honest!
So that is my 5... the 5 things I might remember to do when I feel stressed. So many times it seems like doing any one of them is just a huge waste of time... but so necessary so that I can be more healthy to spend another busy day taking care of my fast little boy.... And they are simple! I am sure you can do one of them too!!
Our society is so fast paced and individualized. We all just pop from one thing to the next rarely asking others for help or involvement. We don't just stop. Even as we excitedly look forward to Christmas or vacation with the family, we plan the activities, the meltdowns, the things we must do in order for it to be enjoyable or relaxing or calm. We plan every second of our time so that we can attempt to limit the distractions. I focus the majority of my time on taking care of others needs and getting from appointment to lesson to school and getting things that are necessary to maintain our household. I manage it daily and constantly. It is no different this time of year or middle of the summer! Being a caregiver in any situation requires 100% all the time. As we carve out time for family and fun and tasks, we also need to remember to carve out time for ourselves. That makes me laugh like I am loosing my mind... carve out time for myself. What a joke! But of course it is crucial. Without feeling healthy, happy and in control of something it is impossible to give 100% to the ones that need you the most.
So I thought about 5 things... just five that may make you wonder or think if you can do that... and perhaps if we all just try one of them we can make it another day or hour or week!
#1.... Go to the bathroom. No kidding. Drink a glass of water (or 8 glasses) and enjoy them. Make your kids drink a glass of water. And then when the need arises, go to the bathroom. Close the door and take an extra 30 seconds to sit there. Run your hands under the water an extra few seconds and just enjoy that warm water. That little brief moment in the bathroom can give you a few moments to reset your sanity!
#2.... Go for a walk! Cold weather or warm weather... dress the kids. Walk down the end of the driveway or the end of the block. Don't carry anyone. Play eye spy with them if they need entertaining. Or search out interesting things along the way. Fresh air. Breath it in! The sun, wind, cold.... just feel them. Let your children feel them! Just those short minutes outside can make even the most stressful days seem less stressful. Besides, the melatonin may help everyone sleep!
#3.... Do something creative! Don't say you can't! Bake a cake. Write a postcard. Doodle in a notebook. Garden. Creative energy is calming and works the side of the brain that is often stagnant! Immersing yourself into that creative task forces the mind away from the routines, schedules, bills and the regular things that may be causing some stress! It doesn't matter your skill at it, but doing the creative thing helps bring you back into focus!
#4.... Read a book. A magazine. A cookbook. Something other than facebook!! We are such a society of facebookers. But often seeing the social part of our lives repeatedly makes us fret even more about the problems and stress we may have. Step back from the internet and the problems and read something just for pure pleasure! I'm certainly not the one who can sit for hours reading because well frankly, have you been to my house! But I can sit for 5 minutes every so often and read. I like odd magazines (Clay Times, Runners World, Modern Farmer) and books with good stories! And those 5 minutes can transport me into another time, place or world. It is also really good for my fast little boy to see mommy read and to read with him. But that break from my world gives me the strength to carry on!
#5... Write a blog! Oh heck yes! I started my blog soon after Espen was born to just vent! And to keep my mind fresh! Then last year I started another to separate sensory processing from my broken life. I write to let out my fears, frustrations, hurt, worries and joys! I write the honest gut wrenching truth. Sometimes it is uncomfortable. Sometimes funny. Always honest. And it makes me feel better. I write to keep myself sane. To get it on "paper" and out of my brain! So go ahead.. start a blog to just get it out there... write it and forget it! And even when people start to read the crap you write about, just keep being honest!
So that is my 5... the 5 things I might remember to do when I feel stressed. So many times it seems like doing any one of them is just a huge waste of time... but so necessary so that I can be more healthy to spend another busy day taking care of my fast little boy.... And they are simple! I am sure you can do one of them too!!
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