I didn’t sleep too well the other night. One of the kids was up nearly every hour, calling for me to tuck her in, only to kick off her sheets in her sleep and repeat the process. At 4am, the baby woke up and cried on and off until I got him. I’m guessing the construction that started way too early outside our windows was the culprit.
So by 6am, I could already feel my nerves fraying. The older kids came into my room when they heard me in the bathroom, just to see why I was up. Sigh. After putting them in their room, I climbed back into bed and thought about going back to sleep. Normally, I would be up by now anyway, doing my Bible reading and workout. But my body was resisting, and I was thinking of heeding its none-too-subtle signals.
After twenty minutes of watching the dawn sky light up, I decided to get up. I didn’t want to, but I knew that if 7am, and the official start of the day, rolled around and I was still moping in bed, the day was going to be a disaster. If I don’t begin my mornings intentionally and, instead, allow the tide of children’s demands to carry me through the day, my patience is thin and my yelling is loud. I needed to get up and have some time to do something for myself.
But with my daughter cranking on and off, and the kids ready to burst into my bedroom at the slightest noise, I knew that I wasn’t going to get what I needed this morning. At least not the way I usually do. I looked out at the quiet street below my window, with the sun slanting across it from the east, and wished I was out there.
And then it hit me. I could be.
[Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. Please see below for more details]
My husband was asleep in bed, but the kids were not expecting breakfast until seven. I had almost half an hour to enjoy some fresh air.
I changed clothes and let the kids know where I was going so that they could watch for me out the window. After grabbing my phone and ear buds, I headed out to the street. The sky was full of clouds, but birds were still chirping and there were very few cars on the road. I headed down the street at the briskest walk my still-sleepy limbs could handle.
Some people hate cloudy days, preferring sunshine. I’m the opposite. I feel like the sun is an imposition, making me squint, sweat, and freckle. On the average day, I much prefer the clouds. There’s something relaxing and peaceful about it, as if the clouds are closer to earth, holding everything tighter. Cloudy days seem quieter. I feel like God is closer to earth on those days.
I walked about a mile, listening to an audiobook and enjoying the solitude. I watched the clouds and the sun, said “Good morning” to the occasional passing jogger, and looked around at my just-waking neighborhood. By the time I reached home, I felt a tranquility inside me that was almost foreign.
Throughout breakfast and baths, I was amazed by how quiet I felt on the inside. Lately, I have been rushing around trying to get things done for the kids, for this blog, for the house. I’ve been pushing myself as hard as I could without burning out, but I now realize that maybe I was burning out.
Taking this morning to have some quiet ‘Me’ time was something I hadn’t allowed myself in too long. I didn’t realize how desperately I needed that time until I had it. Regardless of my lack of sleep, my body felt stronger and my mind sharper. I felt peaceful and content. I was able to play with my children without my mind scattering to all the things I needed to do after. I had focus and clarity.
Don’t neglect your ‘Me’ time. I know how hard it is to stop going, going, going, but you will be a better person for it. I think the biggest reason I’ve been putting it off was guilt. If I wasn’t being a mom, a wife, a blogger, or a house manager, then I wasn’t being useful or productive. But God Himself rested, so why wouldn’t I?
Taking care of me fell by the wayside. But that was the worst thing I could have done for myself and my family. I felt so much more present with my kids after taking that breath of fresh air to center myself.
Have you been taking care of yourself lately? Or, like me, have you been letting the demands of everyday life take you from one day to the next, surviving but not thriving?
Take the time to stop and think about what would make you happy this week. What can you do to refresh your soul and bring yourself peace in this busy season of your life? Make yourself a promise to spend a little bit of your week taking care of you. You’ll be a better mom, wife, and person because of it.
What are your favorite ways to spend ‘Me’ time? Leave your thoughts in the comments. You might just inspire another mom to try something wonderful!
[Disclaimer: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a commission, at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own and I never recommend anything I haven’t used myself and loved.]
Leave a Reply