We all do it, I am guilty of it too: not allowing enough time (or any for that matter) on ourselves. We are busy people, always rushing from here to there, running errands, trying to drop the kids off on time, preparing food, cleaning the house, walking the dog – making sure that everyone else is happy. But where does that leave us? Usually overtired and somewhat unhappy.
This Mother’s Day I challenge you to take some time for yourself and increase your happiness factor. I don’t mean taking an hour to sleep in on exactly Sunday the 11th of May – I mean scheduling time for yourself on an ongoing basis. How can this be done? Well, by starting out slow, creating time and then rekindling something that you have put on the backburner.
1. Find your “MAGIC” time – Lori Kennedy RHN, and founder of WOW Weight Loss, describes this time as, “The time when you are most creative, free from distractions and able to get things done.” For some it is the time after the kids go to bed. For me, sometimes it’s before everyone else gets up, or it’s at 8:30 once they’ve all left for school. I knock a few things off my to do list, which gives me clarity and takes off a bit of stress.
2. Improve your sleep – Improving your sleep can be accomplished in a couple of ways. First, turn off your smartphone and laptop 1 hour before bed time. The blue screen from these devices tricks your brain into thinking it is still day-time and makes it harder to fall asleep. Second, download all that info that is swirling around in your brain – that is, make a to-do list before bed, or just write down the things that are bothering you, so they won’t keep you up at night. I call it a brain dump and really helps.
3. Spend one hour doing something that you love – Knitting, gardening, baking, reading, chatting with a friend, drawing, dancing, singing, cuddling, walking, biking, soaking up some rays…the sky is the limit. By incorporating something into your day that you left behind once the kids came around you will start to feel like you are yourself again – boosting your happiness.
I know some days are harder than others, and that we all are super busy, but taking these small steps will help you in the long run, and your improved mood will also reduce the stress level in your house, bumping that happiness factor up even more.
Mother’s Day Self-Care Maca Balls Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 heaping cup of dried dates
- 1 cup of shredded coconut
- 2 tbsp of coconut oil
- 1/4 cup of maca powder
- pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- Process the dates and coconut in a food processor until they start to clump together
- Add the maca powder and salt, then melt the coconut oil until it becomes liquid
- Turn the food processor on and drizzle in the coconut oil until well combined
- Remove the mixture from the food processor and roll into balls
