So I know you’ve been waiting with baited breath for my Self-Care Day (day after Valentine’s Day) update, so here it is…
I had all these grand self-care plans swirling around in my mind – massages, pedicures, lunch with girlfriends, shopping…
But what do you do when you have a calendar full of clients and a baby and your nanny calls in sick?
At first, I was tempted to half-ass it. Maybe a quick bath or some journaling, but then I thought about YOU and my promise to update you.
After much contemplation, I decided that I would spend some time reading a book while my baby napped. But it couldn’t be a self-help book or a coaching book or a money mindset book. I wanted a trashy novel, something I would have read back in the day – lying on the beach, next to the pier with my high school girlfriends.
So I grabbed a book I had ordered months ago on Amazon and decided the perfect place to read would be outside in a lounge chair (not something I get to do too often – or rather, not something that I take the time to do too often).
Because it’s winter (sort of), our lounge cushions are packed away, so after some huffing and puffing in the garage, I gave up and found a towel instead.
I grabbed my favorite drink and headed outside to bask in the sun and the glory of my salvaged self-care day!
And again, I thought of YOU. I decided I needed to capture a picture of this momentous occasion so I could show you – how relaxed I was.
Have you ever tried taking a picture with the sun behind you? I tried about 17 different times – to avoid the shadows, moving things around, pushing my giant umbrella about, breaking into a full sweat.
I carefully placed my Kevita on the towel, only to realize it was dripping all over my blanket. So I did what anyone would have done – I chugged it so I could snap that “perfect” picture without it leaving a trail of kombucha in my picture. As I’m wrestling with the umbrella and sweating up a storm (and feeling sticky from my spilled kombucha), I thought, “Oh f*$k it!,” I’m just going to lie down and start relaxing already!
Of course, as I finally get settled comfortably into the lounge chair, I hear the busy hammering of the neighbor boys in their fort and I think, “really? Hello?! I’m trying to relax here.”
And then I just decided to let it all go – all the expectations. All the hopes of the “perfect” relaxation.
Why do we need to make it so hard? How did even self-care become so stressful!?
At last, I finally settled in to start the book. I read for a straight hour and I cannot tell you how refreshed I felt while reading and when I was done.
The book, the lounge, the sun – it all took me back to a time when I had no responsibilities. I sat and smiled and fondly remembered being young and carefree.
And now, even though I’m back in my life full of responsibilities and laundry, a little bit of nostalgia was exactly what I needed and that’s perfectly okay with me.
And what about you? Did you do anything?
If not, that’s okay – we don’t have to be perfect. How about today, or tomorrow or this weekend? Just be sure to carve out some time for you to do something that actually leaves you with a smile on your face.