It’s Okay to Take Time for Yourself: In Fact, It’s Very Necessary!

Me at the stained glass painting workshop

Do you take time for yourself on a regular basis? I’m not talking about taking time to shower, eat, or do the stuff that your parents and teachers expect you to do. I’m talking about spending quality time nurturing yourself and honoring your spirit by making your hobbies, dreams, and passions a priority in your life.

It’s really important to take time on a regular basis to spend quiet time connecting with what really excites you deep down inside — even if you only have 5-10 minutes to daydream, write in a journal, or send a text to a friend about your plans for self-care.  So find the time and tune out anyone (including yourself) who attempts to make you feel guilty about making time for your personal growth and happiness.

I found a notebook recently that contained some sketches from my elementary and high school years (mostly fashion illustrations and sketches of my high school boyfriend).  I felt a sense of loss because I haven’t really taken the time over the years to cultivate my artistic abilities even though I have loved to draw and paint ever since I was a little girl. As I grew older, I became fascinated with airbrushing and stained glass and learned how to do both, but I really wanted to take advanced classes in the ancient art of glass painting.

I recently signed up for a stained glass painting and airbrush workshop as a special gift and reward to myself for almost completing my new web site. I did so even though my “inner hater” warned me that I couldn’t afford to learn this complicated art form at this time in my life.  As a recovering perfectionist, I am really proud of myself for allowing myself to celebrate my progress even though I had not yet launched the web site.  I just returned from the workshop, and  feel renewed and more balanced and creative.  Even though it took a few days away from my plans to launch my web site, I had an amazing time and it was definitely worth the sacrifice.  I am excited about getting started on a special art project I have been planning for more than 13 years. All I have to do is get serious about making time in my busy schedule to work on it and let go of my desire for it to be perfect!

This Week’s Challenge:

I encourage you to write down at least five things that you LOVE to do and schedule time to spend at least 10 minutes this week doing at least one of the things on your list. If you don’t have hobbies, use the time to identify some things that might interest you. If you are really motivated, I challenge you to spend the next week doing at least one thing every day that makes you happy and rewards your soul. After you take some time to enjoy your hobbies, take a moment to stop and become aware of how good it makes you feel. And if you find yourself feeling guilty about taking time away from your daily grind, take a deep breath and repeat after me, “It’s okay to take time for myself.”

To your greatness,

PS: I would love to hear about what’s on your list and how you are making time for yourself…