Fill Your Own Cup

It is in my nature to take care of others, and to build them up to believe in themselves as they grow. This is why I love teaching, and coaching, and being a mom!! 

But it is also why I struggle DAILY with taking care of myself. Everyday I consciously make the decision to take care of ME- to exercise, shower, eat healthy, and to get enough sleep. I am also constantly fighting with each of those activities in my head, with OTHER things that need to be done for OTHER people. I come up with excuses to put off my own needs until everyone else is taken care of. 

I don’t have time to work out- I need to get the kids up/fed/dressed/played with/whatever. 

I don’t have time to shower- I need to get to this event/appointment/activity and people are depending on me to be there.  

I don’t have time to eat healthy- I need to get out the door now so I will grab something quick from the pantry. Or I will just eat the leftovers from my kids lunch.  

I don’t have time to go to bed early- I need to send this email/clean the kitchen/organize this thing. I need to get everything together for everyone else so it’s ready for tomorrow. 

I have a natural tendency to I gravitate towards activities that others will benefit from/ Sometimes I will benefit from them too! But I have a hard time doing anything for JUST ME and not feeling guilty about it! I end up putting things off until the end of the day, and then often times I never even get to do those things at all.

What I have learned over time (and what I need to remind myself of daily) is that I am a BETTER caregiver and helper when I am taken care of first. I have more energy, more smiles, more love to give when my own cup is full. If I can carve out a block of time each day to fill my own cup, I am so much better at filling other people’s cups. And in the end, that is what I love to do!