Lately my mind has been a little well, all over the place, if we're being honest. I catch myself thinking about all the things, overwhelmed with things that don't even relate, or to be frank, really matter that much. One minute my head is, "Crap my walls are so bare", to, "I wonder if I should get cupcake toppers from Amazon or Etsy", and, "Another tooth popping through, rut-roh bring on the coffee(s)". Help. A scatter brain. A mind that just doesn't know how to turn itself off or find the pause button. A mind that plays flashbacks to prior memories and reanalyzes her past.
One thing I'm sure we're all guilty of at times is juggling too much. Possibly overthinking. Okay fine probably. Forgetting to slow down and focus on the simple things, or even ourselves for once. Trying to stay afloat while giving our bests to be a good mom, a good wife, a good friend, and taking care of ourselves all at once is damn hard, especially on little sleep PLUS working full-time. I put myself last, and I'm honestly okay with it. My heart is too big giving 110% into making sure everyone, and thing, around me is okay. And then, if there's time I think of myself. Hence the dry shampoo stash in my bathroom closet.
Here's where it gets tricky. Having a big heart is a good thing. But forgetting to make time for ourselves, or simply maintaining a balanced mind day in and day out isn't. I think I've fallen off the balance beam a few times and I know I need to find my inner Aly Raisman to get back on it, least I got the Aly bun down kind of.
If you feel like you're in my shoes I want to share a few things I do (or am training myself to start doing more of) when I feel like my head is spinning, and to baby step my way back to focusing on myself here and there:
Find 10 extra minutes for yourself in the morning. Yes just 10 minutes. Whether it's to fully make your bed, to drink a coffee in silence (while it's still hot), sit on your bathroom counter and pluck your brows, or to do a quick conditioning circuit, it's 10 extra minutes solely to kick start yourself for the day and to feel less frazzled before you even get out the door.
Stop worrying about the things you can't control. Say this to yourself 3x.
My favorite word, wine. Okay, this absolutely will not solve all the things, but a few sips certainly helps an overtired mama at the end of the day.
Read. Take a break from the screens and actually read a book. I'm about to start reading, Girl Wash Your Face. I've heard so many great things about this one.
Walk. Even if it's just a few quick loops around the parking lot at work, or 20 minutes at night with your baby or dog or both if you're feeling adventurous.
End your day with a long hot shower or bath. You're thinking wait isn't this normal, but let me tell you. Once you're consumed by putting a little human first 24/7, sometimes long showers just aren't in the picture anymore.
Disconnect. Unplug from social media, from your phone altogether. Start with an hour before bed, and then go from there. It's okay to not answer a text right away, stop thinking you have to rush to your phone the second you hear a ding. We're all guilty of scrolling a little too much. Disconnecting can be refreshing. Try it.
Set a goal for yourself, you''ll feel more organized, accomplished, and self focused; like make a new healthy recipe, work out 3x a week, read two nights out of the week, 100 crunches before bed, 1 week of no donuts.
Write. Or find something so simple but slightly therapeutic or positively distracting in a way that it lifts some stress off your shoulders.
PEP TALKS. Yes, to yourself. Tell yourself you got this. Then trust it.
This list may truly seem not that surprising, but when you and your mind feel like you need 4 coffees a day to just make it to Friday, then maybe it's time to get back to the basics. Make time for yourself. Slow down. #BREATHE. I think we'll start to feel a little less exhausted. Give yourself a break, you're doing a heck of a job. And try not to exert too much energy into little things, like cupcake toppers.
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