What I forget to do for myself…

  • To take a shower… a long one, without interruptions, to think as well as to soap my hair.
  • To read the whole article in a magazine instead of quickly flipping from the beginning to the end hoping to grasp enough of it to get the gist.
  • To drink my tea while it’s hot (how many mugs of cold tea do I leave around the house while I’m cleaning, homeschooling, folding laundry…?).
  • To take a walk when the sun is out (instead of letting the habit of grey skies keep me in).
  • To pay attention when my husband gets home from teaching and comes up behind me to give me a hug and kiss on the neck while I’m washing dishes.
  • To put on make-up even when I’m running errands because it makes me feel like I’m present to the world, not an invisible schlub.
  • To actually twist into a few yoga stretches each day in between the weekly class.
  • To start the morning without email.
  • To appreciate my warm, colorful house; the stocked refrigerator; happy, cuddly children; a supportive, affectionate husband; and a reliable cable modem because today I have all those things and they each make my life happier and easier and more fulfilling.

What do you forget to do for yourself?

9 Responses to “What I forget to do for myself…”

  1. Julie Bogart says:

    And for the record, while I typed this post, I drank HOT tea! Yay me. 🙂

  2. JoVE says:

    I can relate. I have been known to make a small pot of coffee and leave it on the counter unpoured until it is cold. I wonder how many times you boil the kettle and don’t make the tea before you get to the point of leaving the tea somewhere to get cold 🙂

  3. Katy says:

    Shave my legs

    Paint my toenails

    Good thing we wear boots and pants int he winter!

  4. Mary Armstrong says:

    Call and make the appointment to be adjusted by a chiropractor

    I finally did that today; after 5 pregnancies and carrying kids for 15 years, my hip hurt so much I delayed a trip to the zoo with my kids. But now, I am so excited that I’m on my way to feeling better and looking forward to keeping up with my little ones!

    I’m glad I finally took care of myself.

  5. Hope says:

    Boiling water in the kettle, and forgetting to make tea
    shaving my legs, conditioning my hear, soaking my feet
    taking time out for me at a coffee shop
    knitting, sewing, painting


    There are quite a few and I go through periods where I’m really bad at doing any of them but then others I’m really good at it. I strive for consistancy and figure I will get there some day.

    I am enjoying your blog and ideas. Using some where I can. Thank you for making them so accessible.

  6. Marcy says:

    Ah, making tea and not getting to it while it is hot – I’m not the only one!

    Pursue an interest in bread making

    Update my wardrobe

    Alone time

    Exercise

  7. Tara says:

    Had to chuckle on the hot tea item…once when my mom was visiting she made tea for both of us and then said, “Shall I just put yours into the microwave?”

  8. Sandra says:

    I forget to drink – period. Dh comes home and I’m feeling tired. His response is to go and get a large glass of water becasue he just knows I’ll be dehydrated. Also exercise. I mean to walk everyday and often it gets to 10pm and I discover that I’ve forgotten …again!

  9. Dawn says:

    * Get my hair cut, much less curled – how does one get out to do such things between 9-5 M_F with four children ages 3-8?

    * Ditto on shave! I’m not into the toenail painting, though.

    * Get lost in a book that I’m not reading aloud, because I’ll stay up to late or neglect things that really need to be done

    * Dare I say it here? – Write. I used to write letters, I used to write poetry. people comment on how they enjoy the sort-of-annual family newsletters I write. My writing now consists of taking dictation from my children for the things I have THEM write, with a few e-mails smattered in between. I’ve been toying with doing the freewrites just for fun, just for ME. None of the kids are old enough to do them yet – they can’t move the pencil automatically enough. But I’m curious sometimes what my mind would come up with if given the chance. I’d probably type instead of using a pencil.

    * MAKE a cup of tea! I don’t mind drinking it cold – guess I’ve gotten used to it (LOL)! But I’ve been known to heat water three, maybe even four times before finally getting some into my cup. I used mostly loose tea, so it’s a bit more complicated than throwing in a tea bag.

    * Forget the responsibilities for a while and just PLAY – with the kids, with my husband . . . I’m too darn responsible and task-oriented, though I thoroughly enjoy the play when I allow it. I’m doing better at at least being playFUL throughout the day in my interactions with the kids.

    Wow. Didn’t think I’d come up with much besides the “get a haircut” thing. Just goes to show you never know what the mind will come up with when given a chance until you give it a chance.