Good morning! It's been awhile, huh?
I've taken the liberty to spend most of my time and energy on myself and our home lately. It's been really healing and wonderful.
Society places such a stigma on loving ourselves and putting energy into the care of ourselves. There is a sort of glorification of self-sacrifice. An idea that being behind on sleep, overworked, and neglectful of our own needs somehow makes us better people. It does not. It makes us less than our best.
Like so many other things I've learned on this journey, what I'd been told for so long is a lie.
How can I give my best to my children if I am not at my best? How can I effectively support others in my community if I am distracted by things for myself or my home left unattended? I don't think I can. And if I try to, I think I'm doing all of us a disservice.
I've been spending the last few months developing systems that meet my and my family's needs most efficiently so I will have more time and energy to commit to our community. I've learned that I need a certain amount of time to myself to feel most sane each day, and that waking up before everyone else gives me that. Getting rid of all but a set of 4 dishes means the kitchen is never out of control. Working everyone's wardrobes down to a set number of outfits means laundry no longer feels overwhelming. Developing a weekly menu for meals makes grocery shopping and cooking a breeze. Finishing all my half-finished projects (photo albums organized, garage cleaned out, etc) has taken a weight off my shoulders I didn't even realize was there.
Knowing all these things are now quite manageable and taken care of, more of my mind is available to focus on the really important things. My self. My kids. My husband. My friends. My community. And that is how I will change the world.
So, what will you do for yourself today?
“Everybody thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing themselves.”
― Leo Tolstoy
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