Do you ever get a rest from yourself?

In the words of Lady Whistledown, I would like to say…

Dearest Reader 🙂 

Has it really been a week? Time passes by so quickly. Maybe having a little one makes it go by faster. Or maybe it's just being an adult. One thing for sure though, I am grateful for each and every moment of life. I cherish being a mother, that I get to have a family, faith, an amazing job, a supportive community, grand friends, and so many other things. I am so grateful for my life!

This past weekend I met with someone who helped me come to some realizations about myself and where I am currently—emotionally and mentally. This last year and a half has been quite intense with beating cancer, and the 2 years before that were quite the adjustment of quitting a job, becoming a first time mother, going through a really rough pregnancy, and all the changes that come with that.

Throughout all of this, I have tried to be active in my church, succeed in my full time job, started my own side business, travel multiple times each month, and serve on two boards. Along with all the other goals and dreams that I want to accomplish too!

So then this person asked me “Do you ever get a rest from yourself?” I laughed at this because he was so right. He did not say it in a rude or negative way, but more along the lines of what do I do for play? I usually go go go— and when I'm not going, I zone out to something on Netflix because I just need a break.

I'm learning though- zoning out to a movie or show isn't self care or getting a break from myself. It's just zoning out.

I definitely enjoy doing all those things listed above. But this kind of enjoyment is very different than playtime enjoyment. So I've been thinking a lot about this— what do I do for play? What do I enjoy doing just for the sake of enjoyment?

Today was a perfect example of enjoyment for my little girl. As I was finishing work at the kitchen table, answering emails and calls, she got a marker and started coloring. She eventually scooted under the table where I thought she just continued by my feet. Needless to say, she took off all her clothes except her underwear and colored her entire body to some degree.

She popped her head up and said “Mommy look!” I broke out in full laughter when I saw her. We giggled together and I soon took her upstairs to give her a bath because everything she touched was turning blue. She had blue in her ears, her armpits, and blue toenails!

This 30 minutes of laughing, getting cleaned up, and just spending time together was so genuinely happy for me. I love these moments!

This inspired me to make a list of things that I truly enjoy doing just for the sake of enjoyment. What would be playtime for myself? Maybe some of these are on your list too!

• Getting out in nature. This has been hard because I haven't been able to go hiking or mountain biking for a really long time due to surgeries. So instead I am starting to envision myself in nature right before bed. It helps to fill that void in the meantime.

• Taking my little girl out and not being rushed. I love watching her explore and play and find excitement in so many things.

• Riding my motorcycle. It's been years since I've been able to just go out for a ride on my bike. His name is Prince Edward. Living in the city makes it harder to go for a joyride! I'm going to work with my dad to try and get him up and running again. It would be so fun to take a stroll more often than I currently am.

  

• Reading. I love reading physical books. I used to read like crazy! It's hard to sit down and read a book now because I either fall asleep or I'm interrupted by a 2 year old 😂 I do audiobooks which is great, but I have a goal to actually get a physical book and sit down and read. It makes me so happy to turn the pages of something!

Moral of the story: Life is too short to not do the things that deep down make us happy. Take inventory of your life and what you do for playtime. What do you enjoy doing just for the sake of enjoyment? Make a list and then formulate a plan of what you are going to do to include more of that in your life.

Let's get a rest from ourselves people! 😅

It's amazing that 3 of the 4 things on my list are things I've pretty much stopped doing for quite some time. It's time to bring them back!

I can't wait to see how it makes me a better wife and mother, a more enjoyable person to be around, and motivate me to accomplish more!

Cheers to your enjoyment and getting a rest from yourselves,

Erica 🌺❤️