The Decision to Take Care of Ourselves And Then.... the Journey

Taking care of oneself may seem like a 

natural and easy thing to do for some. 

And having to make a conscious decision 

to do so may seem ridiculous.

(I'm talking about much more than 

just the basics of

 eating and sleeping and general care.)

But for others, including myself, 

it truly is a journey of

self-discovery and recovery. 

It's a learning process

that happens only if we are 

willing to peel off layers

of wrong thinking, work at

 getting to know ourselves

as well as making changes.

It would take a small book to share

with you the revelations that have come from 

seeking to take better care of  myself..

well-being and a healthier,

more balanced lifestyle.

I used to think that I was healthy.

Several years ago, I came to a place in my life

where I felt numb. I had died inside

and I knew that if I wanted my 

life to be different,

I was going to have to accept boundaries

and live more intentionally.

(I don't mean to sound snooty)

I needed to begin to stand up for myself

and stop making commitments that were

helpful to others but that left me feeling exhausted

and drained physically and mentally.

This was difficult because I love people and

helping them.  But I had to come to realize that

I could still love them but I didn't have to

push myself beyond healthy limits to show that love.

I was saying no to outside commitments at times and

that was good but I wasn't considering limiting

 social outings or time with family as part 

of my care. 

Two years ago, I realized what a 

true introvert was and that I am one and that

it's ok to be one! Haha..

And furthermore, it was ok to fashion my time and 

life in a way that allowed me the solitude that 

I needed to stay rested and to feel like 

my life was not out of control. 

I don't LIKE this about myself but I'm 

grateful to have the understanding.

It's so freeing to be able to make 

decisions based on my needs 

without (most of the time ;) feeling guilty.

Can anyone relate to what I'm saying?

I have learned that I'm not selfish but wise

when I say no to invitations to social events.

Not answering the phone is ok if I'm not up to talking

at that moment. Responding to social media in 

a time frame when I feel rested and can enjoy the

connection is the right way for me.

Learning to listen to our minds and bodies 

and to be able to respond to what we hear, is a gift. 

It requires focus at times and honesty

with ourselves and others.  

People don't always understand. 

My test run circumstance did not end well.

There were broken relationships

and a severing of ties.

It's very sad but I am healthier.

Be prepared and take care of yourself anyway.

If you don't, who will?

This is one of the 

toughest parts of our journey. We don't

want to offend or hurt others. There are always

going to be needs. We can't begin to meet them all.

I was raised to work.

And the harder I worked and the more I accomplished,

the more I was praised. I can tell you that this

set me up for a life time of pleasing others

and totally losing touch with who I was 

or what my needs (and wants) were.

I don't dread telling people no anymore. It

feels good to take care of myself. I enjoy life

soooo much more. The quality

of each experience has been heightened

to the pleasure that it should be because

I have learned to pace myself and reserve what I need

to really be present and enjoy that time. Not wishing that the time

were over so that I can go home and rest.

If you're in need, I hope this has helped 

and made sense to you.

Life is too short and our bodies and minds

have limitations. If we ignore this fact, 

we can do irreversible damage to our bodies

and lose out on the quality of 

life that awaits 

each of us.

There's so much more to it all. 

But too much to write in one post. 

At another time, I would like to write

about the things that we have and how they

demand of us.

(This is a huge one for me and I'm still working on it!

And then beyond our needs are our wants... 

which I would also like to write about another time.)

We have only one life to live.

One time around.

A limited existence with so much to experience.

May yours be blessed. 

Filled with richness and peace.

Thank you for your visit.

I would love to hear any words of advice or 

any stories of what you've learned.

Tamara xo