Me Time, What’s that?

As a busy stay-at-home mom, who runs her household, blog, and Etsy store, life can be pretty hectic. Being a wife, mom, and friend; I seem to have always put everyone before myself because I thought that is what it took to make those in my life happy. But at the end of the day, I always found myself irritated, mad, upset, and mostly just unloved. Which in turn, was making my family pretty unhappy, as well. That was the beginning of 2017. I was always the first one to sign up to take care of someone, deliver food, and be that ear to listen. Until one day I woke up and realized that, even though all those things made everyone else pretty happy, it was destroying me on the inside. Why? Because it, for the most part, was never reciprocated when I needed the help. When I finally realized that I needed to put myself before everyone else and actually started to do that;  everything got better. See that’s the thing you gotta do, you gotta do the things to make a change in your life. The most important thing was that I was happier around my family and in turn, they were happier.

Taking time out for yourself or putting yourself first doesn’t always have to mean you are spending money. Just by having that time to read a blog you have been trying to read for five days or that book that you really were into until your child needed help with whatever crisis they were facing. You would be amazed when you take the time to read that blog or finish that quick chapter, how refreshed you feel coming back into the daily small crises that our children have. You won’t snap so easily at those small crises of;  “Mommy, he is looking at me”, for the tenth time that day.

I feel like we, as moms, feel like we need to have someone give us the permission to put ourselves first. So, Mama, I give you that permission- to put yourself first. What are you going to do now that you are putting yourself first?  

My favorite way of putting myself first is monthly 90-minute massages. Yes, you read that right. Once a month, complete and utter bliss for 90 minutes. I also love going to get pedicures every once in a while. But for the most part, my “me time” is sitting down for 5 to 15 minutes and watching the next video on my playlist on Youtube. I love watching makeup tutorials. Or at the end of the day, going to bed and reading that book I am loving. Finding those small parts of the day where I can sit and just be for 5 to 15 minutes, really helps me to not be the mom that I am without those times. That mom is grouchy, snappy, and not fun for my family to be around (and I don’t blame them).

I asked my mom friends on Facebook: What are ways that you give yourself some “me time”; and here is what they said:

• Their part-time job.
• Mani-Pedis
• Working out
• Coffee Breaks with friends
• Hiking
• Couponing with friends
• Their direct sales business
• Crafting
• Catching up on their DVR
• Texting/Snapping with their bestie
• Cross Stitching
• Reading

I love this list, it is so varied- including things that I am like; “Seriously you find that fun?!?!” But that’s the thing, you have to find what makes you happy. And when you find those things that make you happy, there are a million and one ways to squeeze in that “me time” during your days of craziness. Because trust me, once you start taking that time for yourself, you will feel so much better.

Start by doing something for you once a day for 5 minutes, even if it is just taking a shower…ALONE. I think we have all been there!!!  That small amount of time for you will make you feel so much better and it will snowball into greater things.

I would love to know your favorite ways to find “me time” and if you don’t do anything yet, what would you like to do?  Drop those down in the comments to help everyone else get some ideas!