A very smart and dear friend of mine recently said to me “remember the thing they tell you on the plane: put your own oxygen mask on first before helping others!!!” So for once I did – I took a step back and looked at my life and what “I” needed to be Happy… well maybe happy isn’t the right word – I have a wonderful life – but thought what have I done for myself lately as far as self-appreciation and self-nurturing – not much… This has always been the hardest thing for me – I would give anyone the shirt off my back, go without so that someone else wouldn’t have to – but focusing on myself is hard … I’ve decided my new goal is that on my death-bed – hopefully many years from now – I will be able to look back on my life and say “Wow – that was a blast!” So for all you loving, kind, giving wonderful women (and men) out there who are the perfect parent, the perfect spouse, the perfect friend – STOP – and take a minute to think about what you do for yourself…
So – I took a minute to list 5 things I do completely for myself…. This really stumped me….
- I work out, but do I work out for me or because my husband is a personal trainer and I don’t want to embarrass him? I may have started working out because of him, but have decided yes; I do work out for myself because I like how it makes me look and feel….
- Next I thought do I eat healthy because I want to, or because I feel I have to? Another thing I probably started to do to impress my husband, but I have now taken that to a whole new level, even beyond what he does and it makes me feel good – so yes, I do that for myself as well…those two things are easy for me….
The rest of what I came up with seemed to fall into the helping others category, which was a huge eye opener. I can still do all these wonderful things I want to do that are good for my heart and soul, but also need to do things completely selfish to nourish myself…Yikes – I’m not sure I know how to do that…so I thought “ahhhh the vision board…”
I know, I know – this sounded goofy to me too, but this is a little trick I learned from Valerie Waters, Celebrity Fitness Trainer– and let me say putting my thoughts down in a visual form and being able to see them, was huge in helping me realize what is important to me. I did one (which I attached) and found out a lot about myself. When creating my vision board I include how I use to look, and included things I love or would love to do… As you can see my vision board includes belly dancing, kayaking, yoga, weight training, water skiing, etc. From there I was able to see what I want. I could see I wanted a trim healthy body, to feel sexy or good about myself again, to enjoy the physical activities I use to enjoy, and to enjoy my life instead of just going through the motions.
Finding physical activities that you like to do like working-out with a personal trainer, walking the beach, hiking, kayaking, taking a Belly Dancing, Zumba, Tai Chi or Yoga classes, playing tennis, taking an art class, playing hockey, lacrosse, or being a butcher, a baker, or a candle stick maker (ya you know who you are – boyz) – just find out what gives you personal joy in your life. The more you do them, the more you’ll enjoy your life and the more motivated you’ll be to be fit and stay healthy. For me there are two sides to being fit and healthy… the physical and the emotional. Physical fitness is eating healthy and being able to physically do anything you want… Spiritual or emotional fitness is well, feeling good in the skin you’re in and allowing yourself to enjoy life…
This is what I feel I’m lacking in my life – but just for today. This is what “I” need to focus on, this is what will make me a better person for the people I love in my life, this will be the thing that will allow me to continue to give without emotionally bankrupting myself, this my friends is what makes “Life Good” – this is the high we all crave, and the best high in the world because it won’t destroy our life…. I challenge you all to create your own vision board – add all your hopes and dreams, everything and anything you want out of your life, things you love to do or want to learn to do… I’ve heard it said that “where the mind goes, energy flows” – positive or negative. My belief is that you can make anything happen in your life – you just have to focus and believe in yourself…
Comments are closed.