After a couple of years of over extending myself with one volunteer, social or charity event after another, I’ve finally decided to take a few months off to take care of me, my home, my family, my friendships and my foundation. So for those of you who are wondering “WHERE HAS SONYA BEEN?” I’d like to share the following thought with all of you:
Have you taken time to take care of you lately? When is the last time you were truly present in your life? When is the last time you really listened to your children, your friends, your family, your significant other and/or your co-workers? It’s really hard, isn’t it? You have so many places to be, people to see and things to do. It can be draining and it can leave you feeling empty and exhausted when you’re on that gerbil wheel of “can’t stop won’t stop!”. Only you can make the choice to STOP and stop saying “Yes” to everyone and everything so you can take time out to truly nurture and love yourself and enjoy life to the fullest. It’s in these moments of self-care that you recharge and are then able to nurture and love those people, places and things in your life that truly need you.
Here’s a few tips to help you to remember how to care for yourself and enjoy the simple things in life:
1. Love yourself first and the rest will follow.
Treat yourself with the respect and care that you deserve. When you give yourself the things you need that make you feel good instead of expecting it from things and others outside of yourself, you become the master of your own destiny and a mirror for those outside of yourself. Once you raise your own standards of how you treat yourself, you will accept no less from others. Whether it’s kind self-talk, loving yourself unconditionally, bringing yourself flowers or treating yourself to a massage. Once you start practicing how you would like to be treated and you start giving yourself the things you would like more of in your life, you will naturally attract those things to you.
2. Enjoy life to the fullest.
Be present in the moment, in your life, with your loved ones and with everyone you encounter. Instead of just going through the motions each day commit to being aware and appreciating your experiences along with the sights, sounds, colors and feelings you encounter in each moment. Take time to listen to your loved ones and make sure that your really hearing what they have to say. After I lost my dear Grandmother several years back, I realized how much I had missed during our conversations because I wasn’t really present and was always thinking of the things I had to do. The stories she shared about the great depression, what she wore on her wedding day, her work as a missionary and some of her favorite secret family recipes. Oh what I would do today to have those conversations with her again! You can bet I would hear every last word of her stories! I would also be taking notes during her secret family recipe chats!
3. Be authentic.
Be yourself. Acknowledge your efforts and achievements. Eliminate negative self-talk. Instead of looking to others to make you feel good about yourself, do whatever you need to do to feel comfortable in your own skin and to become the best version of “you” possible. It’s an invaluable gift you offer yourself when you step into and appreciate who you really are, your own self-worth and the unique gifts you have to offer to the world.
4.Nurture and attend to your valuable relationships.
Be selective about who you share your energy with and ensure that those relationships are offering an equal exchange of energy. If any of your relationships leave you feeling drained and empty that’s a sure sign that you are engaged in an unhealthy one-sided relationship. Hang onto the relationships that make you feel good and lift you higher and let go of those that don’t.
5. Every morning when you wake up choose to “BE HAPPY”.
That one thought can change your whole day! Remember, you are the leading actor and the director of this movie of your life and you have the power to choose how it plays out simply by focusing on what you wish to create. Do you want to live a happy, joyful, prosperous, harmonious, loving and abundant life? Well then, what are you waiting for? This is your movie…and you get to tell the lead actor how you intend to manifest your goals. Once you get clear about what you want to create in your life, you will be surprised at how quickly the magic will begin to unfold.
6. Take care of YOU first.
Whether it’s through meditation, yoga, gardening, a walk in nature, surfing, traveling (note to self:)), writing or anything else that quiets your busy mind…it’s important to stop and clear your head and answer to no one else but YOU at least once a day. Learn to set healthy boundaries with others and say “NO” whenever necessary so you can take care of your own mind, body and spirit. It’s in these moments of silence that you recharge your soul and can then offer the same to the people that you care about.
Lastly, DONT SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF:)! Life is way too short!
