I married a man who constantly asked me to leave. Especially in the early years of our marriage. We had 3 kids in 4 years, with our last two being just 14 months apart. So I was a very tired, overwhelmed mom. So my hubby would tell me to leave.
Leave for an hour to have coffee with a friend.
Get away to catch the newest chick flick.
Take the night off and go have dinner by myself.
Sneak away to have a bath in silence.
Spend a few glorious, quiet moments roaming through Target ALONE!
Whatever it was, he was continually encouraging me to leave, to spend time with friends, to have moments to myself. He knew I needed “me time”! And although I often felt guilty for leaving my sweet babies; I am so thankful he “pushed” me out the door, here and there.
We Need Time Away
Being a mom is hard (understatement of the year!!!). It does not matter if you are a stay at home mom, work, or do a combination of the two. Giving your whole body and heart to love and raise a child is exhausting. We need time away to remember who we are apart from being mom. Time where someone isn’t calling our name or tugging at our arm or asking question after question! We need friends and quiet times and hot coffee!! We need to leave for some “me time”.
My Fav “Me Time” Activities
- Grab dinner by myself! I can eat slow and get lost in my own thoughts. It is wonderful!
- Head to my favorite coffee shop to try a new specialty coffee and a pastry I don’t have to share with anyone!
- Treat myself to a pedicure! And it has to be at a place that has those amazing massage chairs!!
- Enjoy some alone time at the beach! The sound of the waves and being outside with nothing to think about is good for my heart.
When You Don’t Have Someone to Help You Have “Me Time”
I get it, not all of us have a situation where it is easy to get time away. Maybe your spouse works difficult work hours, or you are a single mom. You might be juggling being a mom, working, and going to school, but there are ways to take the matter into your own hands to get some much needed “me time”.
- Wake up 30 minutes before the rest of your household. Enjoy a hot cup of coffee, meditate, or catch up on a book or show.
- If you work, take your lunch break outside, away from other people and the pile of work on your desk.
- Join an online book club that you can participate in once the kids have gone to bed.
- Set aside time to unplug from your gadgets.
- Hire a babysitter to allow you to get away a couple of times a month.
Thank You Hubby
So thank you, dear hubby, for allowing me to sink low into “me time”. Thank you for encouraging and insisting on it. It is probably something I would not have made happen on my own. Yes, thank you sweet hubby, for constantly asking me to leave!
