Monday, May 16, 2011

Do Unto Others, But Don’t Forget Yourself

As real women, we tend to give 110% of ourselves in everything that we attempt. If you add a demanding career, husband/significant other, throw a few kids into the mix, and after sometime we end up either with significant burnout, ready to go postal or so far from our true selves that we don't even know our own names. Once you get to this point, with no intervention, the outcome is negative for everyone involved. Productivity levels drop at the job and at home. You're yelling at you kids for offenses that, under normal circumstances, would only warrant a response of "honey, stop that" (in your best "Nice Mom" voice).

I'm writing this post from personal experience. The light bulb came on for me after coming across an old picture while battling through my nightly duties at home. This picture was taken in 2003 at a restaurant while hanging out with my girls. At this time, I was only three years into my marriage, no kids, and totally doing me. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy with my life as it stands today, but realize that I've given so much of myself to the other people in my life, and haven't taken enough time for me.

I want to challenge you ladies to find the "old picture" in your life that represents a time when you didn't have a care in the world, and then figure out what you can do to get back to that point. I'm not asking you to quit your jobs, put your kids up for adoption, and leave your husbands, but rather, this is a call to action to stop moving through life simply going through the motions. We give so much of ourselves to others, so be sure to take time for you doing whatever makes you happey. I'm no doctor, but I think in the end it will make us better Real Women. Peace.

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