Loving Me

While I did just write about the importance of starting with you when it comes to living like love, I am one hundred percent still working on that. Coming out of the baby and toddler years has made space for so many other endeavors. Somehow, those endeavors always seem to be for others. You know, "oh, I don't have time for that workout, I have to do the laundry, get this project finished for work" - insert any wife/mother/human activity. For whatever reason, there seems to be a tendency to put ourselves last. Why is it that loving ourselves is the last thing we do? And the hardest thing to do? This last year pushed me to grow, and learn, and trust myself. I stepped up and out of my comfort zone, into new and different roles, and learned to balance work with home life.

This year, I am adding a new piece to the balance. This year I am committing to loving myself - to giving myself as much love and attention as I am able to give to all of the other endeavors in my life.
Shifting the Stories I Tell Myself
Stories - I love them, they define who we are, how we make decisions, react, grow, and learn. They can also hold us back. In my reflections these past few weeks I realized how limiting the stories I tell myself can be. This year I am shifting the stories I tell myself to allow for more - more me time, more enjoyment with and from my sons, more working out, more shipping of ideas, and more believing in myself. What does this look like? From thoughts to spoken words, it could look like: "Ugh, I have to work out" to "I made time for this workout" - shifting from chore to privileged. I am testing this out as the biggest way that I can affect change and shift my thinking and action.

 Loving Myself Enough to Make Time and Space
This is one of the biggest shifts I intend to make and is in line with shifting the stories that I tell myself. I love my husband and kids enough to do so many things for them. I love my friends and family, my work and our cause. I make time and space for them, and take action to help move all of those endeavors forward. This year, while continuing to advance family, friends, and work, I will likewise make time for myself, for things that help to advance who I am and and lift me. Even as I type this I struggle with how selfish it sounds - a story I am trying to change - taking care of myself is not selfish, it's fair, necessity, and deserved.

This is a journey that I am starting out on. Living like love for others has always come rather naturally - how do I fare when doing this for myself? How do you accomplish me time and self love? I'd love to know.

- lovefrommaria


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