A little girl recently came in to the clinic with her mom for her mom’s acupuncture appointment. She was a sweet little girl and looked like she wanted something to help keep her busy while her mom rested, so I went and got a box of crayons and some paper so she could color during the time her mom was resting with the needles. She was quiet as a mouse the whole time and when the treatment was complete, I was surprised when she handed back some drawings and note for me. So sweet!
It was wonderful to see from her note how she appreciated that her mom was taking the time to do things to take care of herself. So often, as parents, we put our efforts into helping our kids so much that we can forget how important it is to take care of ourselves too. Our kids will be HAPPIER and HEALTHIER when we live with balance. When we take the time to prepare healthy dinners, we might have less time to pour directly into our kids but we are setting a good example of prioritizing healthful eating. When we take the time to go to our yoga class, acupuncture treatment or meditation or prayer group, we may save time later – less stress and taking care of ourselves with these lifestyle choices translates to better immune systems, healthier energy levels, and better sleep.
Self-care replenishes your reserves of love—you have more love to give. When you take time for yourself, doing something you love only for you … to meditate, hike, draw, read, or take a detox bath … you get your needs met, and you are then ready to meet the needs of others … like your children, who have a lot of needs … with patience and grace.
Taking good care of YOU, means the people in your life will receive the best of you, rather than what’s left of you.
– Carl Bryan, Tennis Coach
