Paying Personal Attention

"Our relationship with ourselves is as important as any other relationship in our lives. It is easy to think that since we take ourselves wherever we go, we don't have to schedule time with ourselves. The truth is, that time spent in the company of others is attention we pay to our other relationships, and if we don't have time for ourselves then we deprive ourselves of our own company. It is during these moments that we stop hearing what we are saying, and we slowly begin to lose our center. Our other relationships begin to suffer because if we can't be present to ourselves, chances are that we won't be present to others."  -Daily Om

So often, I hear what I most need to hear when I most need to hear it. The last couple of weeks, I have been running on empty, so to speak. Things that once gave me great joy have seemed burdensome. Inspiration was not forthcoming. I felt an increased need for sleep and found myself stealing quick naps whenever I could, which is not like me at all!

These were all red flags for me, as I am typically a pretty upbeat and positive person, excited about my life and seeing opportunity everywhere. I started combing through the details of my life, looking for something that was different, something that had occurred, something I had eaten...I couldn't find anything! I was busy, but that wasn't unusual. My life seemed the same pattern- a daily weaving of work, running, coaching, friendships, personal development, and writing.

I dug deeper...there had to be something! I didn't discover it until this morning. I woke up early and carved out time to read, reflect, journal, and just LISTEN to myself. The last 2-3 weeks, I had convinced myself I was too busy and needed sleep. Therefore, this hour had been cut out of my day. I saw it as an indulgence, a luxury, a precious hour during which I could sleep or cram another hour of activity into.

But sitting here, this morning, in the stillness I sensed something different, a peace, a stillness, an inspired way to start my day. And I wasn't cognizant of it until I read the above passage from Daily Om.

It doesn't have to be at the beginning of the day, but it is so vital to our well-being to carve out time for our own personal care. If we don't spend time listening to ourselves and recharging our batteries, we are going to expend all of our energy without ever replenishing it. This makes us useless to both ourselves and others.

Can you find 20-30 minutes to carve out for yourself today? If you have a family that places a lot of demands on your time, maybe it is in the morning before the kids wake up. Maybe it's stopping at a coffee shop or bookstore on the way home from work. Finding ways to restore yourself will help you be more effective, productive, and loving when you return to the world.