This week was our kid’s first week back to school and it was GREAT for all of us! They are enjoying their new teachers and school – they are at a temporary school this year while their old school is being torn down and rebuilt. Only a mere 39 million to do that!! Who knew the cost was so high to build a school?!
I am enjoying being back into a regular routine AND I also focused on extreme self-care this week 🙂 What I didn’t realize until last weekend – sometimes it takes me awhile – was that I was completely burned out! The stress crept in slowly and poof, it was all of a sudden there. Read on to learn how extreme-self care is a complete and necessary game changer! For your self, your relationships, your family AND your business!!!!!
What was really cool, is when I rolled in to drop the kids off at the bus on their first day, I ran into a fellow Mom and business owner, who participated in our 21-day self-care challenge. She shared with me that she just got back from taking the summer off with her family in Spain!!! Love it! She said it was because of me why she was able to do this, but in all honesty, even though the compliment was nice, the course gave her the permission to take more time off and she made the conscious decision to do it. Even though I appreciated the compliment 😉 This woman was already an uber successful attorney, with running a practice and being well known in her area of law, but was not enjoying her life and even started doubting her career choice. She was completely burned out. During her focus on self-care, she raised her rates even higher, took more time off, and started really living and enjoying her life the way she wanted to!! This stuff works people! I swear. See the “Chris Recommends” section for info. on the self-care course :
Stress. It sneaks in right??!! I had a great summer and so much fun with our family and friends! Our Global Circle theme for August was FUN after all, and I really took this on whole heartedly!! I reduced my work hours so I could spend more time with the kids in the afternoons and thought I had it all mapped out. Well somewhere along the way I forgot to fit in time for myself. I was keeping up with my regular morning self-care routine and exercising, so it definitely seemed like I had everything in place – hence the sneakiness. What I didn’t realize is I would move straight from work to being with the kids. Add in extra social activities and then our dog Roxy almost passing (she is okay now – phew), and well you have a recipe for burn out.
The poor choices came next. More wine then usual on weekends. Not sleeping as well as a result. Irritability with the kids, and it all just added to the stress.
What I forgot to do was take EXTRA time for myself. EXTRA.
This is also where I gained an extra 5 pounds, after already gaining 5, and could not for the life of me get it to come off. This was red flag number 1. I kept thinking, it’s like my body doesn’t want to let it go. I was eating healthy for the most part and exercising so it didn’t make any sense. A little more wine then usual, but still. That typically wouldn’t have made that big of a difference. Ah-ha! I now know my body holds on to weight when I’m stressed. Good to know, right ladies??!!
So this week I cleared my schedule each day so I could focus on extreme self-care – in addition to my morning routine this looked like; a 90-minute hot stone massage, working out barefoot at the beach on my own (my happy place), walks on the beach, hot yoga in the aft., and swimming in our pool.
TOTAL GAME CHANGER.
After just one day of this I felt like a completely new person. I was happier and more relaxed. This led to thinking, I feel so great mentally right now, that the weight is just going to fall off. I can feel it. And it did. 4 pounds in one week.
The weight is just a concrete example of the positive effects of this extreme-self care and subsequent mindfulness. What also happened is an increase in energy, being happier and more patient with the kids, and attracting real estate opportunities left, right and center (I secretly love real estate and this is one of my other businesses). ALL because I took time for myself 🙂
Amazing right?
I share this with you so that you can see how profound extreme self-care is. Being proactive with self-care is amazing, like morning success routines, etc., so that you can create a solid foundation…BUT you have to include even more self-care the busier you are. I know this is my life lesson, and one of these days I will learn it fully! Until then, it keeps me humble and compassionate for my clients and friends, and also helps me see over-and-over again the complete contrast from when I do it and when I don’t, thus reaffirming the belief in it’s power. It always amazes me.
So…where can you add in some extreme self-care? It’s also a great rule of thumb to add in some extra time when you know you are going to be extra busy with a work project. Schedule it in beforehand to ensure you make it happen when the time comes.
Namaste friends, from my heart to yours,
Chris xoxo