Gift Yourself
How are you? How are you feeling? Yes, I know that was the beginning of the last newsletter that I sent out, but I wanted to check in and see how the “Feeling Exercise” was working out for you? For me, sometimes it is easy and sometimes it is difficult. I am trying to be better at taking a moment and actually thinking how I truly am or how I am truly feeling before I answer when someone is asking me how I am. I will just keep trying as I hope you will also. Now on to this newsletter.
Gift giving can be something that is tricky at best. Do you give something to someone because you have to or because they gave you a gift? What if they don’t like the gift you have given to them? Or worse, what if you don’t like the gift they have given to you?
What if gift giving could be a whole lot easier? Well, I know of a way where gift giving doesn’t have to be so difficult. That is giving a gift to yourself!!! After all, who knows you better than you do? You know what you like, don’t like; want, don’t want; or need, don’t need. As a wife, mother and business owner, the list of things that need to be done can be never ending. In the past, my likes, wants and needs had always been on the bottom of this list. What I have learned in the past few years is that I am far more efficient, less stressed, more peaceful when I take time to take care of myself. I can’t be an efficient massage therapist if I am feeling burned out, tired, emotionally distraught, hungry or angry.
So in order to take care of myself when I am feeling this way is to gift myself with something. Now I am not advocating anyone going out and getting into debt. What I am advocating is gifting yourself with something–something that will help you to feel a little less stressed, burned out, tired, etc. Taking care of yourself. Especially when it seems like there just isn’t enough hours in the day to do that.
Since supposedly no one knows you better than you do–then giving a gift to yourself is simple. What do you like, what do you want or what do you need? What it boils down to is what do you need to take care of yourself? Is it time alone, exercise, spending time in nature, reading a novel, enjoying an ice cream cone, staying in bed just a little bit longer on the weekend? If you spend some time gifting yourself with something then chances are you will feel less stressed, be more productive at work and feel more peace and all because you took some time to take care of yourself.
I know you are thinking “But I just can’t do that. I have XYZ that needs to be done by Thursday. If I take time for myself, I won’t have enough time to finish that project!” Let me ask you this–How effective are you when you are tired, hungry, angry or burned out? Are you really focused on XYZ or are you pushing yourself to finish it? I think you would be surprised to find that if you took a few minutes (or maybe an hour) to take care of yourself that you will be far more effective than if you don’t. Gifting yourself with whatever you need doesn’t even require a large amount of time. It can be as little as a few minutes or more time if you need it.
I find that when I am feeling under pressure to finish something because of a deadline (mine or someone else’s) that I am far more efficient if I do take some time and take care of myself with whatever I may need. Then I can come back to the project refreshed and possibly with new ideas and I will probably be able to finish it in time, too.
MY CHALLENGE TO YOU: How can you gift yourself today? Is it that long awaited time alone? How about coming in for a massage? How long has it been since you have given yourself that? (You knew I would throw something like that in there, didn’t you?) How about watching that movie you have been putting off? That walk in nature? How about just giving yourself permission to take whatever time you need to take care of yourself?
By gifting yourself with what you may want or need, you are showing yourself that you are just as important as all the other people and things in your life. Gift yourself with something today. Your body will thank you. Your mind will thank you. Your spirit will thank you and probably the people around you will thank you because you will be calmer and less stressed.