Search Results for: self-care

{Self-Care Challenge} Day #7 – Get A Hobby

February 7, 2012 · by Tara ·

Until this point, I’ve been sailing along with this challenge. I bought myself an accessory, I cleaned up my bedroom, I’m doing well.

But today’s challenge is stumping me and I’m not even sure why.

Day #7 – Get a hobby

The trick with this hobby is that it is supposed to be something fun for you. Not something that benefits the kids or makes you money, necessarily, but something that is for you and helps you unwind and deal with the stress that inevitably builds in our lives.

As I’ve said before, I have no hobbies. Unless you count writing, but even that is something I do in the course of a career. I don’t write privately anymore. Everything that my fingers tap out on the keyboard is for public consumption.

So other than that? I have no idea. For like six seconds I started to take up knitting but I felt like it was an old-lady pursuit and I was trying to find something more “hip.”

Then I tried running and that worked until I messed up my knee.

Then I tried Zumba and then I wanted something that was less exercise and more…fun.

So I started baking. I subscribe to a gazillion cooking magazines anyway and it was nice to be able to whip up so many different pies and cakes from scratch. But my “on Sundays I bake” mantra was catching up with my thighs and I had to cut back on how often I baked before I gained too much weight.

So I’m still looking for something to do, something that is just mine and something that’s not too expensive. I came up with a brief list below. See if anything strikes your fancy:

1) Jewelry maker. My girl Brooke from Jewelry Rockstar (she is also profiled in Make It Happen) makes beautiful pieces of jewelry and she makes it look so easy!

2) Running. Train for a 5K, then a 10K, half-marathon, marathon and more. There’s running groups, cute running gear, etc.

3) Learn to play an instrument. I don’t have any particular skills, but I’d like to learn how to play the piano (maybe because I figure I like tapping on the keyboard, it’ll translate musically? I don’t know.)

4) Sewing. So many moms are making one-of-a-kind outfits for their little ones (and some are turning it in a full-fledged business). I’d love to think I could make pretty hair bows or skirts or sweaters for my little ones.

So what’s your hobby? Please give me some more suggestions

Filed Under: HappyMom challenge, Mom to Mom · Tagged: featured, happy mom challenge, mom to mom

{Self-Care Challenge} Day #6 – Write 100 Things You’re Grateful For

February 6, 2012 · by Tara ·

Read the rest of the challenges here.

So. I talk about gratitude a lot. We just had a #SurvivalGuide chat about it a few weeks ago. I shared with you my gratitude project of 2011. And I’m back at it again. Because I know it’s hard to be super positive and happy all the time, especially when you’re having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

Day #6 challenge – Write 100 Things You’re Grateful For

Now I know 100 things is a lot. But trust me, after you write this list, you’ll sit back and think, “Hmm…I’ve got a lot going for me in my life. This ain’t too bad.” I took 10 minutes and came up with 25 things. Over the next couple days I’ll add to the list whenever something strikes me.

1. This mild winter weather we’re having.

2. A reliable car.

3. Two healthy kids.

4. Happy husband.

5. Full fridge.

6. Working heat.

7. Having two kids who love school.

8. Netflix.

9. Good friends.

10. Good health.

11. MY house.

12. The fact that I’m only nine credits away from my Master’s degree.

13. A spacious kitchen.

14. Two sisters who are doing their own thing.

15. Two loving parents.

16. My iPhone.

17. A wonderful, supportive community of moms here at YML.

18. Open doors to new opportunities.

19. Gmail (makes life so much easier)

20. Teachers at my daughter’s school who really know how to make learning fun.

21. Parents who love watching their grandchildren as a way to make my life easier.

22. A handful of work-at-home mom friends who know how life can be when you’re building your career and raising your kids all in the same space.

23. 30 Rock and Parks & Recreation on Thursdays.

24. A growing sense of spirituality and direction in my life.

25. My home office.

Go ahead and list a few things you’re grateful for in the comments. We want to hear ’em!

Filed Under: HappyMom challenge · Tagged: featured, happy mom challenge

{Self-Care Challenge} Day #5 – Sleep Like A Baby

February 3, 2012 · by Tara ·

Read the rest of the challenges here.

The quality of my sleep for the past five or so years has been pretty crappy, as I’m sure you can relate. I put the kids to bed around 7:30, they call out for me around 8 complaining of thirst, I get them to go to sleep, then I settle down to work. I get into a rhythm, I get a snack, I knock out a bunch of work. But then my eyes can no longer stay open and I see the clock is inching close to 1 a.m. I sigh and shut down the computer and pass out in the bed.

Inevitably, one of my kids will awake, screaming, at 1 a.m., because they’re hot/too tired/scared/thirsty/have to pee. My husband doesn’t hear them (uh-huh, sure) so I stumble into their room to see what’s wrong. I pass out again. Then wake up at 6.

I am exhausted 99% of the time.

And I don’t know if I can do so much about it, being the mother of two young kids and all. My sleep quality is probably going to average between a C- and an F+ for the next few years. My goal, quite honestly, is to wake up and not immediately want to go back to sleep. I’ve set the bar low. So let’s get on to the challenge:

Day #5 – Sleep like a baby

And by this, obviously I don’t mean wake up every three hours and eat. Although that would be awesome.

Instead, I want us to think about how we put our kids to bed when they are little. Most baby books and pediatricians and wise elders (lol) will tell you to come up with a bedtime routine, something along the lines of a bath, baby massage, breast or bottle, and rocking them to sleep. They’ll come to understand that bedtime is coming and the hope is they will go down without a fight.

But I realize that I am so far from having a bedtime routine that’s laughable. My current routine is to stumble up the stairs and collapse face first on the bed. And I wonder why I’m groggy in the morning.

My new bedtime routine involves:

Spending 30 minutes to transition from work to bed. No more falling asleep with the laptop on my lap in bed.
Taking a hot shower before slipping into my PJs.
Warming up my lotion to give myself a quasi-massage after I get out the shower.
Keep a good book or magazine on the side table (no textbooks!) to give myself some time to leisurely read.

So there’s your challenge, if you chose to accept it. Take a look at your bedtime routine and see where you can make some small changes that will improve how you sleep. Some suggestions:

When’s the last time you bought new pillows? Been longer than a year? Go get new ones.
Check out some of these aromatherapy pillow mists. My friend gave me a milk & honey version and it smells heavenly.
You set an alarm to get up, so why not set an alarm to tell you it’s bedtime? Look at what time you need to get up to be on time in the morning and count back eight hours from that. Set the alarm and try your best to obey it!

Any other suggestions for getting better sleep?

Filed Under: HappyMom challenge · Tagged: featured, happy mom challenge, mom to mom

{Self-Care Challenge} Day #4 – Post Three Affirmations Around Your House

February 2, 2012 · by Tara ·

Read the rest of the challenges here.

I can admit freely that I am not a “glass is half full” kinda gal. I want to be and I really, really try, but most days I’m shaking my fists and muttering under my breath, “Why can’t anything go right??”

But that changes now. I’ve got a lot on my plate and there’s got to be some way to survive it all. How can I maintain a more positive attitude, keep my focus when things get hectic (which lately has been every damn day), and not melt under the stress?

I asked my sister and she suggested I do some affirmations, short positive statements that you repeat to yourself daily to put you in a more aware and focused frame of mind.

Today’s challenge:

Day #4 – Come up with three affirmations and post them in different places around your house. I’d suggest putting one someplace you will see when you first wake up, and another one someplace you’ll see when you get home from work/school/picking the kids up, etc. But again, this is up to you.

Here are mine:

I always need energy. Always.

In the morning, I’m always dragging a bit, so I figured I’d put these on the bathroom mirror (ignore the dirt) to give myself a boost each morning.

Usually. Most of the time. Doesn't hurt to repeat it.

I posted this one on my kids’ bedroom door, to give me a quick reminder before I open their bedroom door in the morning. I’m hoping this will keep me in the “It’s a blessing to be their mama” mindframe, versus the “Lord, if these kids say, ‘Mommy, can I have…’ one more time I’ll scream” mindframe.

Do share: What are your affirmations?

Filed Under: HappyMom challenge · Tagged: featured, happy mom challenge

{Self-Care Challenge} Day #3 – Identify A Daily Pick-Me-Up

February 1, 2012 · by Tara ·

Our challenge is coming right along. Make sure you check out the challenges from day #1 and day #2!

Day #3 – Identify a daily pick-me-up.

When life is getting to be a bit much (the kids won’t stop screaming, you got stuck in traffic, your husband/boyfriend is getting on your nerves), what do you do? How do you relieve that stress?

Two things to note:

1) It has to be pretty accessible. Your daily pick-me-up thing can’t be running off to Vegas or taking a road trip. It has to be something you can reasonably fit in within the day.

2) It has to be affordable. If you feel your stress melt away during a $60 full body massage, that’s great – but I don’t even know you and I know you can’t afford to do that every day. So pick something that’s budget-friendly and will get you back on the happy side of life in no time.

My pick-me-ups? Well, I don’t mind if I do.

1) Scrubs on Netflix. Love, love, love this show. Watching med school students fumble their way through hilarious mishaps? Oh, yes.

2) Sex and the City reruns. I get lost in the shoes, in the friendships, in NYC. It’s great escapism for an hour or so.

3) 30 minutes on the elliptical. I hate it so much, but I feel great when I’m done.

4) Hot chocolate or tea. Something about holding a warm cup in my hand makes me feel nice and cozy and helps melt the stress away.

Your task? Identify one (or two!) pick-me-ups that you can implement the next time you got so much stress you can’t even think straight. Share your favorite pick-me-up in the comments!

Filed Under: HappyMom challenge · Tagged: featured, happy mom challenge