I don't know about you, but I've been wobbling on an emotional edge lately. I'm normally very even keeled, but between a stressful time at home, the mere fact of having a toddler, all of the recent negative news and the unrelenting shitstorm that is Twitter, I'm having a hard time keeping it together. My natural inclination is to power through things without taking time for myself, but that's a slippery slope. That bottled up stress eventually finds an escape, usually by seeping out of my pores (damn you adult acne).
I absolutely want to keep up wth what's happening in the world, but I'm also finding it intensely rejuvenating to take a mini holiday from the maelstrom every now and then. Being a one-woman business with a one and a half year old, finding time for self-care isn't easy, but I am feeling the burnout creeping up on me, so I'm realizing that it must be done. Once upon a time this might have meant taking a vacation. Today it could just be taking 15 minutes to meditate or do yoga in the bedroom a few days a week. However you can make a small investment in yourself is a worthwhile investment.
I'll tell you another thing that's done wonders for my state of mind: choosing to be kind and devoting time to other people. I make it a point to do small things, like getting up on the subway for an elderly person, or going out of my way to hold doors for moms wheeling stroller. Because, WHY NOT BE A NICE PERSON? In New York especially, people get wrapped up in their own lives, put on headphones and tune out everything outside their own small sphere. I learned a long time ago that you can still be assertive, successful, powerful, while also being nice. At the risk software sounding like a huge cheeseball, when you feel like the world is crazy, it's deeply grounding to put some kindness back into it.
Remember, you can't be an agent for positive change in the world if you're a hot mess behind the scenes. "Frivolous" fun in stressful periods isn't a waste of time - quite the contrary, I'd argue that it's more important than ever. Do things that make you happy, and often.
How do you take care of yourself when you need a little extra love? I'd love to hear in the comments below. In the meantime, let's all hang in there, be nice to ourselves, and do unto others as we would have done to ourselves.
xoxo, Stephanie