Why I run away once a year

June 12, 2016

Protect and nurture your emotional and psychological health so that you can keep running the marathon that is your life

I run away. Just once a year, just for a night.

I personally make a point of booking a night away in the city. I go on my own—YES ON MY OWN—without hubby or children, and I splurge on luxury – a queen suite with a view, champagne in the bar, buffet breakfast in the morning and a massage or soak in a spa tub to top it all off!

It’s my little way of treating myself! I deserve it. After all I work hard to raise my family, run a business and nurture my relationships. And my emotional wellbeing is paramount to all of those things being successful.

What about you? Do you work too hard, constantly chase after children, over commit socially and pander to everyone’s needs before your own?

Stop for a minute

Just stop for a minute! Self-care is one of the most important things you can do for your wellbeing.
Are you making time for it?

Too often we women take a back seat to fun, adventure, relaxation and pampering, especially if we are busy working mums trying to find the perfect work-life balance. We are so busy ‘doing’ that we’ve forgotten how to switch to just ‘being’.

But ‘being’ should be a welcome part of our daily lives – ‘being’ allows us to relax and focus on our emotional health, which is pivotal to us all leading happy and fulfilling lives.

TED TALK on the necessity of self care

In a recent TED TALK, Megan McCormick, talked about the importance of self-care. She says, “Self-care is not selfish. It is necessary.”

Using a perfect example, she says, “The oxygen mask on a plane is a lot like self-care… if we don’t put on the oxygen mask first, we don’t have the capacity to help those we care so much about.”

So if you’re overdoing it, make a decision right now to reclaim something for yourself.

Megan suggests we take time to do things that are NOT on our ‘to-do’ lists. But it doesn’t have to be extravagant (like my little venture) – it can be as simple as finding 10 minutes every day to do something that makes you feel good, for example:

  • Soak in a bath;
  • Go for a walk;
  • Shout yourself breakfast at a local cafe;
  • Light a scented candle and read your favourite book;
  • Schedule a lunch date with a friend.

Some of Megan’s great tips include:

  • Eliminate shame and guilt;
  • Choose optimism;
  • Practise self-care rituals (like those above).

The marathon that is your life

All these things go a long way in protecting and nurturing your emotional and psychological health so that you can keep running the marathon that is your life.

Megan’s vision is for a “world where all of our young people are empowered to practice self-care.”

We can contribute to this vision by setting an example for generations to come, and taking the initiative to practice self-care in our daily lives.

Go on, treat yourself! You deserve it!

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