For me there are no truer memes for motherhood than the ones about the mom who hasn’t showered in way too many days and has half a bottle of dry shampoo in their hair. The thing is when I do take that shower after X number of days (X stands for I will not willingly admit to you how long I’ve actually gone without bathing.) I feel amazing. And I am always in a better mood after. But the mom life is crazy and you get in the grind and suddenly you can’t remember the last time you ate a vegetable, or plucked your eyebrows, or any number of things you wouldn’t have let slide like that pre-kids.
In many ways the gift of motherhood brought what was truly important into focus. I always appreciate the reminder that you can leave the house without a full face of makeup or plucked eyebrows. And maybe you never wore that much makeup so it doesn’t ring true for you. But I bet you have a thing… maybe you wouldn’t have been caught dead in sandals without a proper pedicure. Or maybe you never ate store bought hummus, you had to make your own. Did you go to the movies weekly or keep up with Oprah’s Book Club list?
I challenge you to make a list of three things that make you feel normal when you’ve spiraled way too far into taking care of everyone else. What are three things you could do to take care of yourself? How about three things that make you feel human? What about three things that you just love to spoil yourself with that fill you with joy and pleasure? Make a list. Write it down. And pick one. Just one you’re going to do for yourself routinely.
I’ll go first: I’m going to keep up with my own nail care and do polish more regularly and eat more veggies.
Now it’s your turn. Ready, set, go.
