Last weekend, I was asked to go to a small town in eastern Illinois (Olney) to play for a church revival. I have had a lot of craziness happening in my life, and I jumped at the opportunity to have a couple days of “me time”. I stayed in a hotel, and other than the two evening services, I had no other obligations. It was the first time since long before the baby was born that I truly had to myself, with no guilt of needing to be cleaning or working in my down time. I neither had to set an alarm in the morning, nor expect to be woken up before the alarm by either of the kiddos. It was glorious. (Well, minus the neighbor who had a heated phone conversation from 1:30-4am…)
I knew the hotel didn’t have a fitness center, so I pulled out my old friend the Nintendo Switch and turned on RingFit. After waking up, I worked out for a half hour or so, took a shower, and just relaxed. It was a wild experience, having no set schedule for an entire day, no commitments, no one to take care of but myself. It’s something I’ve desired for a long time, just a short reprieve from all the things pulling me so many different directions, having time to just be in my own head.
I took some time in the afternoon to get a pedicure, where I met a couple delightful women. Both had clearly endured a lot, but they had such amazing outlooks on life. When I told the one about my “mom-cation”, she said how crucial that was for parents to do, both alone and as couples. She had significant health issues when her children were babies, and she said she never regretted the time she took to convalesce alone, because she knew it ultimately gave her the strength she needed to be a better mom. She knew that in order to pour out into others, some times you need to take care of yourself.
Why is it so hard for us to take time for ourselves? Sometimes, it’s a matter of asking for help or if you don’t have someone to ask, hiring it done. I think we feel guilty or indulgent when we do things just because, and yet, it’s true that we can’t wear all the hats we’re given if we don’t make sure we’re whole.
I think that’s part of why we struggle so much with fitness. It’s a time that we specifically focus on improving our body. While there are ways to be productive while being active (yardwork, household chores, etc.), it is equally productive to take time lifting weights or catching a yoga class. Sure, you can google all the physiological benefits of exercise, but ultimately it makes us feel better, and it helps our mental acuity. Working out is often the first thing to be scrapped on a busy day, but I’ve found that starting the day with activity tends to make the rest of the day go so much better.
It’s so important you take time for you, whatever that looks like. Even if it’s waking up an extra 15 minutes early to go on a quick walk or watch a youtube video workout, paying a babysitter to get a massage, or ignoring the mess in your house to write a blog post, find a way this week to take care of yourself. I promise, you won’t regret it. After all, we’re all a work in progress.
A Work in Progress 