It’s officially the season of more. More socializing, more spending, more running around, more eating, more hustle… The only thing you seem to get less of this time of year is sleep. Yeah, we’re all knee deep in the holiday chaos, and it’s only going to get crazier!
But, what if we all tuned out the noise? What if we took a step back and focused inward? What if we used this time to celebrate ourselves a bit MORE?
Earlier in 2020, I kicked off our online magazine – Red My Mind – with a blog titled, Grab Your Oxygen Mask. In it, I talked about the importance of taking care of yourself so you can be there to take care of the ones you love. Just like they tell us when flying: Mask up first, then help those around you. After 12 months of assisting everyone else in “the cabin,” it only makes sense you close out the year with some personal attention. After all, how can we make 2021 better if our mask isn’t already on?
So, take a long look in the mirror and say, GIFT ME! I know, I know – it’s totally different than what you’re used to doing. That’s why I’m here to help you get started. Here’s what’s on my Santa’s list. Feel free to draw some inspiration!
THE GIFT OF TIME
One of the best presents you can give yourself is time. I usually joke about my Twensday, but all kidding aside, you can make it happen. To accomplish this, though, you have to be willing to delegate some of your daily routines. There are plenty of services that can help, but you’ll first need to identify what you want taken off your plate, and how much the returned time is worth to you.
Begin by breaking down your week into total hours that you spend on daily routines. Doing this exercise alone will really surprise you.
- 3 hours grocery shopping
- 6 hours cooking
- 4 hours cleaning
- 5 hours commuting to work
- 3 hours picking up kids
- 5 hours of laundry
- 2 hours wasted in gym
- 7 hours just being unorganized
See where I’m going with this? Now it’s time to decide what you want – and can – hand off. Even if it’s gradual, getting into the habit of choosing where you spend your energy is the start. Whether assigning some of these chores to the other people living under your roof or hiring someone to carry them out, you’re ALLOWED to share the workload. Before you know it, you’ll have created your very own Twensday with the time remaining. Then, it’s all about doing you!
THE GIFT OF A POSITIVE HABIT
Staying on track with my personal goals – it’s an issue I struggle with every year… week… ok, day! I’ve got some great excuses as to why I stray away, but it really comes down to two things:
- I tend to put everyone else before me.
- I way overcomplicate things, researching this and that before making a move.
Don just did a podcast called K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid). So, I’m taking his advice when it comes to holding myself accountable in 2021 and following through on positive habits. The good news is I’ll have the support of those around me.
Our team at CE has an awesome plan this year for the We Change Livez Challenge, which should help me stay focused. I’m also asking all you guys to keep me on track. Even better, join me! We always say, Epic People Do Epic Shit TOGETHER! Let’s kick off the new year by signing up for the WCL Challenge as a gift to ourselves. Start thinking of the milestones you want to hit and stay tuned for registration details in December!
THE GIFT OF SELF LOVE
I had a conversation with a friend a few weeks back. She said: If we spent the same amount of time seeing the awesome features in ourselves as we do finding the flaws, our days would be filled with happiness instead of doubt.
I’m now in my 40s, and my body has started to change. Hey, things just don’t work like they used to… metabolism, skin elasticity, joints, and the list goes on. Still, this isn’t an excuse to give up on feeling good and projecting personal confidence.
It’s time we all do whatever it takes for us to look at ourselves in the mirror and fall in love with the person staring back. So, you hate your hair? Splurge on a new stylist. You’re bored with the same old look? Full makeover it is. You’re tired of your wardrobe? Invest in the fashion that makes you proud. Wrinkles driving you crazy? Botox is on sale! You don’t like that you always feel off? Get labs done to see if there is a medical-related cause and treatment.
Some might call this cheating – and that’s o.k. The fact is, sometimes we all need a little boost to get us started. If feeling better about yourself comes down to a simple procedure to kick things off, then aren’t you worth it? Just remember, very rarely is there a “fix-all.” Whatever you decide to do, it likely will take a commitment to yourself to see it through. That might be proper diet, exercise, meditation, down time, etc. That’s the main part of this Self Love equation – leveraging your inner strength to guide the renewed you.
No matter what you decide to gift yourself this holiday, here’s to a new year filled with MORE of the personal attention you deserve!
Cheers,
