ISSUE #14: How to protect your "me" time like a 3-year old
When it comes to self-care, toddlers get it
Hey friend!
My 3-year old, River, is a walking billboard for "the soft life." Minus the fact that she doesn't have to pay one bill, my girls gets it when it comes to self-care and prioritizing your routines.
Every single night, after her typical hygiene ritual (bath, brush teeth, potty), she shifts into the next phase of her nightly self-care routine. She chooses the book that she wants me or her dad to read, she requests what type of meditation she wants to listen to (usually a calming meditation from the Peloton app) and then she says her prayers followed by going down the list of who she is thankful for.
Yes, this is an incredible routine for a child to have at such a young age, but as a parent who often just wants to get in bed herself, I can't lie, going through each step can sometimes feel exhausting. But regardless of how tired I am or how hard I try to gently rush her through the process, she stands firm in the fact that each thing MUST get done before she can go to sleep. And if you try to skip a part or don't do something right, she is not afraid to voice how she feels or shed a tear (or many).
And that my friend, is how protective I want you to be over your own self-care time. Regardless of when it happens, I want you to protect your time at all costs. That can look like blocking the time off on your calendar, clearly articulating to your loved ones why that time to yourself is important and also saying "No." when that time is being threatened.
It can be easy as an entrepreneur (parent, partner, friend, etc, etc), to get so stuck in your work or what others need, that you ignore the time that you need for yourself. But in order to stay well enough to run your business (and your life) you need to be as strict about that time as my 3-year old is.
Set the boundary, communicate the boundary and make that time a daily priority. Your mind, body and business will thank you for it later.
Cheers to a restfilled week!
– Alisha
BEFORE YOU GO, TAKE A DEEP BREATH
