Take the Time...

On the move...
I'm one of those people where I feel the need to constantly be on the move. If I'm not keeping busy I feel that I'm not being productive, and so I always plan ahead to have things to do every day.

Slow down...
When people would tell me to slow down and take a break I'd always object. "I need to be busy!" I'd say...so yes I can relate to all of you workaholics out there...

BUT I do have to admit that there comes a time when your health has to come first. It's important to take the time to relax and have some "me" time.

Meditation?...
I tried meditating and yoga at first, but I struggled sitting still and doing what felt like absolutely nothing at all. Now I'm not saying that I'm against yoga and meditation, I have learned to love them over the years, but to start out I needed something a little different and somewhat easier...I needed to still be distracted while relaxing!

"Me" time...
It took some time, but I gradually realized that taking "me" time doesn't necessarily mean sitting calmly for an hour and thinking about your health and your overall wellbeing. I started to take an hour out of every day to just do what made me feel good. I was able to spend that hour relaxing, whether it be reading or watching a movie that I'd been meaning to see. Just being able to sit down for that time and not be on the go worked wonders.

Journal writing...
After being able to accomplish that form of relaxation, I kept that up but tried to sneak in a few minutes of just thinking during that time, although I found my brain would go off on what I call "squirrel moments"...tangents. I started journal writing...which yes may sound cheesy...but it helps to just write down a few goals you have for your wellbeing. I'm not talking about goals that are work related or pressuring (like losing x amount of pounds). I just mean things such as work on my self confidence gradually, or spend more time with my loved ones. Not only does it help you keep track of your thoughts, but it also helps you stay focused during that relaxation period in order to not let the time waste away.

Waste of time?...
It may seem trivial at first. Like, why am I sitting here wasting the day away while I should be accomplishing other activities. But I'm telling you, you'll be more apt to complete the other tasks in your day with a better outlook on life and a healthier mindset, than if you were just rushing around frantically.

All in all...
...all that I'm trying to get across here is: take the time! Take the time for "me" time.

xo
R