This month, March 2016, we will be talking about self-care disciplines. Every women knows she should, but….. Well, there’s the laundry to be done, homework with the kids, meals to prepare, one more phone call to make and the list goes on.
My mission is to help you have serenity in your life. Serenity is the requirement for a THRIVING life. A life that knows peace, purpose and prosperity rather than a life that only dreams about those things. Therefore, taking care of you is a must.
I’ve decided to start with making time for you because if that doesn’t happen none of the rest will either. Please don’t shut me down before we get going! YOU CAN FIND TIME FOR YOU. It may take a little creativity, but it can happen. Without it, serenity will not be found.
Pull out your calendar right now. Look at today. I want you to find 4 spots to fit in 15 minutes each. If you can’t find any, I ask you to look again. Keep looking until you can give yourself a total of 60 minutes in whatever increments works best.
Once you find this amount of time you are ready to begin. How you use the time is up to you. Ideally, you would use the time for prayer, meditation, exercise, a nap, to be still and listen. What you use it for doesn’t have to look the same everyday, but it does need to serve you well.
This time needs to be protected once you find it. It’s not acceptable to say, “it will be okay if I don’t take the time today” or “I’ll take a 1/2 hour later because I really don’t want to take the 15 minutes right now.” If your commitment is real, this is probably okay. But, it can easily become a habit of self-sabotage.
[Tweet “Either you agree that caring for yourself is a thing of value or you don’t.”]
If you agree that taking care of yourself is to be valued, then you have to put it into action. Just talking about it will never make it so.
I highly recommend that you schedule your self-care time as a priority on your calendar (see last months article on priority scheduling titled “Scheduling for Success”). If you see it on your schedule, you are more likely to do it. If you view it the same as you would a client meeting, you are more likely to make it the priority it should be.
Getting disciplined about self-care is more than just mustering up the will-power to do what you know you should be doing. Discipline is about self-control. It is about adhering to something for a greater cause or purpose. It’s about knowing what adds true value and believing in what you value as a priority. It’s about you being in the drivers seat with God as your Guide.
Suggestions for how to use your newly found Time for Self:
- Start your day with pray and a desire to listen. I know it is tough to shut off the wheels of creativity and responsibility spinning in your head. You have to exercise discipline here as well. There isn’t anything more important than your time with God.
I know this is hard to focus when thoughts of things, that must be done, pop into your head. So, keep a paper and pen next to you and jot down a word or two when those thoughts come to you.
- Exercise is a must. 15 minute increments work great. Walk the stairs, keep small weights at your desk and lift them, do leg lifts and squats. Get creative! DO NOT ALLOW even one day to go by without some form of exercise. (much more to come about physical wellness on March 8)
- At the end of your day look back over your day:
What worked?
What didn’t?
Was God glorified?
Pray.
Finding an hour a day may sound like a lot, but don’t you spend much more than that everyday on things you believe are a must? Things you believe are of great value? Are those things of greater value than you? The person that God loves so very much?
[stextbox id=”info” caption=”TRUTH to LIVE BY….” bwidth=”4″ color=”FFFCF0″ ccolor=”856D35″ bcolor=”DEB462″ bgcolor=”4BADA4″ cbgcolor=”FFF7DB” bgcolorto=”4BADA4″ cbgcolorto=”FFF7DB”]
I thank you, High God – you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration – what a creation!
Psalm 139:13-16 (MSG)[/stextbox]
Please use this encouragement to build a new habit of making time for you.
If you want the thriving life you were created for,
time for self is an absolute.
Need help to find and stay committed to time for you? Give me a shout if this seems like one of those things you would love to do, but see no way to make it happen. Let’s work together to ensure you take care of you so you can take care of all the greatness you were created for! Contact CoachDeb
Watch for upcoming Self-care Discipline articles: physical wellness, food matters, relax and renew, boundaries.
Comment below on how you make TIME FOR SELF a priority in your busy world!
