Csy-Lux

How often do you take time for yourself? Taking time for myself is very important in my life especially as a mom and someone who is always taking on more than I can handle. It is crucial to my overall well-being and allows me to clear my head and refocus. Honestly, when I am able to make time for myself, I am happier, I am more relaxed and refreshed afterwards. My family knows that even having 1 hour a day makes me come back a new person. Just the other day, I was shocked when someone told me they had not taken time for themselves in years and were now struggling to enjoy it and find something to do. I have a confession to make, and it is one that I still can’t believe it took me so long to stop.

My confession

Up until 3 years ago before the pandemic I never wanted to do anything alone. I DID NOT enjoy it and I could not see myself ever wanting to do an activity alone. 3 years ago, I would not even go on a walk if someone wasn’t coming with me or gone to get my nails done unless I invited someone and lord forbid, I had to eat alone. I thought it was a waste of time. I could not believe people would want to be alone for fun! During the pandemic when I started to run, I started to really cherish that alone time. It gave me the same feeling I got as when I got a massage or had my hair done. The same happy dance feeling. When I wasn’t running, I realized that I loved waking up early and doing solo walks. Slowly, I started to love this time. It was therapeutic. Now, I think of alone time as “My me time”.  I get that sometimes as moms, we feel guilty taking this time to focus on us. Not just as moms though, even as girlfriends, finances, and daughters. To me, this time is equally as important as family time. It is a gift to myself, and I am grateful to have the time to do it.  I am not even talking about going out and doing something extreme or spending all day away from your family. Not even planning a vacation. I do love having them, but they are not necessary at all. I am talking about taking a couple hours during the week, the weekend, one hour a day. Whatever works best for you and your family or your day.  

The wonders it will do for you, trust me!  I am 100 percent all about a healthy work-life balance. You are one of the most important pieces of that. (Listen, you can stress over your job, that stress will cause you long term health problems, and at the end of the day. You are replaceable to your job) I am rooting for those who prioritize self-care and their health, and I root even more for those trying to or making the changes to do so.  Don’t be scared to get to reconnect with your thoughts and fill up your empty cup. You deserve. it!

Here are 10 guilt free me time ideas that I think we should all try sometimes that are a little out of the same ordinary we do.   

Get lost in a bookstore

Bookstores are soo cool! They have so many books. Everything from inspiring you to murder mysteries to the latest love novels. You can even pick up a cooking book if reading is not your thing. They have calendars, planners, adult coloring books. You will be surprised at how much more is in your local bookstore and how you just kept sucked in to another world.

Listen to a Podcast- Sip some coffee or wine while you do!

This one I think is so good because you can go out on a walk (maybe a run), you can garden, you can stretch outside while listening to something you like that relaxes you, informs you, maybe even teaches you something! Spotify has so many podcasts that are free to listen to on their app. You can listen to motivational podcasts, news, radio station podcasts, crime stories, anything you name it. Some of my favorite podcasts are Crime Junkie Podcast – for those crime. obsessed junkies, Dateline, Relatos de Horror – scary stories-, The Bellas podcast- my favorite set of twins, they keep it sooo real and Bossbabe podcast- so uplifting and all the tips for living a life you want.

Take yourself out for lunch.

This is one of my favorite things to do during the week when I work from home! I haven’t done a full on sit down, have a server kind of lunch but I would be up for it. I am talking about grab a sandwich from a deli, a burger, a burrito and eat in at the beach! Enjoy being by yourself and those quiet moments you have. That totally counts, even if you have to back to work. I have even done it on Saturday when my kids go off to grammas for a few hours.

Try hot yoga or a workout class

Ok, so this one is actually on my list to do. I have been dying to try hot yoga and it is something I want to do in the next few weeks. I am committing myself to signing up for one by end of next month. It doesn’t have to be hot yoga though. Try a cycling class, a regular yoga class. Try a Pilates class! Most of them are only an hour or less and not pricey. You will come out thanking yourself you did it.

Start a hobby

Ever wanted to make candles, play an instrument or learn a new language, play roller Derby (ok just me? lol) I bet that there is so much you want to do and have never started. Sign up for it! Commit to 1 hour of this new hobby a week. You can either self-teach yourself from hundreds of YouTube videos or look around town. for classes. Whatever fits in your budget.

Go to the Movies

Go see a Matinee! Get some popcorn, a soda and enjoy a quiet movie! There is so many movies I wish I had time to go watch that my kids or husband wouldn’t want to go too. The best part is most movie theatres open at 11 am if not earlier and the earlier you go the cheaper and emptier it is.

Discover local coffee shops

Every little town has lots of cute coffee shops! Take yourself out on a coffee date. Make your way around town over time checking out what makes each coffee shop unique. Take your laptop or phone, sit and scroll or people watch!  

Have an at home spa day

This one still counts! I do it all the time. I enjoy a glass of wine, put on my under-eye masks, chin strap, start a hot bath, light some candles, and voila. Definitely does not have to be expensive at all and best of all your skin is left as soft as baby butt cheeks.

Journal

I love journaling and I think everyone should try it once. I love writing down my thoughts in my fancy journal. It is so calming for me to be able to get them out on paper and it helps keep me accountable for my personal goals. I think everyone should journal daily. LOL But really, I really do think journaling helps me improve my writing, how I communicate and how I express my feelings. I feel calmer, more at peace after I journal.

Take care of Yourself

Hopefully you got at least one new idea of something new you would want to try out for yourself. Try one new thing from my list and then ask yourself if spending time on yourself made you feel good? I really hope it does and that it encourages you to not just take care of everything around you but also of yourself. I like this quote that says, ” Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you” and my hope is that you can relate to this in some way when you think of giving yourself the love you deserve ❤️