Think about all the times you use those words…"I am".
I am tired, I am hungry, I am sick, I am frustrated, I am angry. We claim those feelings like we claim an identity. Your thoughts and words have power! I have started a habit of using those particular words wisely. I am strong, I am healthy, I am whole, I am loved. If thoughts become things, then we should all be saying them, until they become true!
As women and men we wear many hats. Husband, wife, mother, daughter, father, son…our identity is wrapped up in those things too. Speaking for myself it's not hard to get caught up in the day to day of being Eric's wife, & Elise's mom. With so much to do, and loved ones to care for, it's not hard for me to forget, well…me.
Don't get me wrong, I love that I am blessed to be those things, serving my family is an honor, but how well will I serve them if I lose myself in the process? Remember when you were young and in love…you would find yourself liking what the other person liked, and sort of mold yourself to them. Or what about the kids, when they play soccer, you love soccer, even if you've never watched a game before then.
The point I'm trying to make is, the value of you and what you alone have to offer in just being yourself.
So how do you even get to the core of who that is? After all, it's easy to forget your own likes and passions, when you've sacrificed them for everyone else. The answer is, quiet alone time with yourself. That's right, no cell phone, no TV, no Facebook, & GASP….NO PINTREST! For everyone that looks different. It could mean a hot bath with essential oils, a quiet walk in nature, or meditation.
When you love something, you give it time in your life, and we are in a state of crisis in truly knowing and loving ourselves.
I recently was given the opportunity to take a trip to California at the end of October, to be part of something I am truly passionate about. It means taking 4 nights away from my husband and daughter, and the first feeling I felt after the sheer excitement of getting to do something I love, was guilt. I thought "Can I do this? Can I leave them? Who will take care of everything?" I had created a habit of being last. There are a great many things I want to teach my daughter, but what I don't want to teach her is that growing up means you stop dreaming. That your passions die after children, or that you're not allowed to have passions outside of your children.
So what passions have you put on a shelf? What can you do today to pause, and get reacquainted with the dreamer inside of you? You are worth knowing and loving, and I promise if you take the time to care for yourself, you'll love everyone around you better. The world deserves the best version of you, and only you can give it.
If you need a little help getting you started, here are some resources I recommend:
http://www.getsomeheadspace.com/
http://www.oprah.com/oprahs-lifeclass/oprahs-lifeclass.html
This post is linked to: Natural Mothers Network, Butter Believer,
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