Here’s the thing…
When we neglect ourselves, we cannot make informed choices and so we stay stuck and wonder once again why things have not changed. When there is an internal conflict between knowing that time for oneself is desperately needed and having low self-worth leading to guilt about allocating time, nothing happens.
When my journey of finding myself began after choosing to live – in the previous post – I was seriously ill and it was paramount that I look after myself first. “Yeah right! You don’t have the courage to book even 15 minutes in your week to just STOP for a while.” said my mind.
In an unusual moment of sheer bravery, I set aside 15 minutes and put it in my calendar. As the day of 15 minutes of me-time came closer, so the anxiety grew. Even though I was determined and kept that time for myself, I was sweating and uncomfortable when the clock ticked on the allocated time. I battled my way through 5 minutes – which felt like an eternity – and promptly did not set aside any more time for myself for many months.
“Self-care means giving yourself permission to pause.” – Cecilia Tran
It was only a few years later when I learned to give myself the gift of a pause and it has been part of my life since that moment.
I found that as I began to answer my own questions and make aligned choices, peace and purpose become more present. I had to be mindful of self-sabotaging habits, particularly around health or motivation as I learned that they often show up when growth is just around the corner.
Allocating even small amounts of time for reflection, rest, and physical well-being can restore balance and build the resilience needed for lasting change.
We need to build our inner resilience because when we make changes, we may have to deal with managing not only our own expectations but those of others as well.
See you in the next post for this step in the journey 🙂
