A reader commented on my post last week, in regards to taking the time to get dressed every day, with a simple sentence that really got me thinking.
I love the idea of showing up for yourself, regardless of your day. That’s something I want to work on. – Kendra
Showing up for yourself! Something that we all need more of.
It’s really easy to not do this. I find myself making the excuse that the day is getting away from me and there isn’t a moment that I could possibly grasp onto for myself. There is no time for that workout class, I am behind on work, I should be doing a load of laundry or cleaning up the house or running the dishwasher. I often feel like if I’m not doing then things are most likely slipping through the cracks.
I think there is a misconception when it comes to showing up for yourself. At least in my mind. I have always thought that self care looked like performance of some kind (working out, eating healthy, etc.) where over the past year I’ve realized that is wildly untrue. Showing up for yourself should mean listening to your feelings, accepting that your happiness matters, putting yourself first when it comes to self care, doing things that could be mundane but make YOU happy.
I struggle with putting on a happy face even if I’m going through a hard time. I suppress a lot of my emotions because I have a fear of disappointing others and would rather keep the peace instead. This is the exact opposite of showing up for yourself. Showing up for yourself means having the confidence to be your own cheerleader. To do the things you want to do because they make you feel good. If we aren’t going to show up for ourselves, no one else will either.
So show up for yourself today. Even if it means taking a 30 minute walk alone, painting your nails, going out for a coffee or ordering take out tonight because cooking sounds terrible. Take a minute to write down 5 things that TRULY bring you joy and do those things.
){kind=link}