| Big week. Very big week. I had some larger than life | | | | and playing with my son and reading to him or drawing |
| meetings with some people who can actually help me | | | | with him. To me, it means connecting with my husband |
| make my ultimate career dreams come true. It's | | | | and getting to hear about his daily events that take |
| exciting and can be overwhelming, but I've realized the | | | | place. It also means, connecting with my family and my |
| importance of one thing. | | | | friends via phone or in person. Lastly, it means that I |
| I need to step back and take care of myself when I'm | | | | have prayer time, and complete quiet time where I can |
| busy. It's the best thing I could ever do for myself. | | | | just listen. |
| Take a client of mine who recently had a launch of | | | | I find when I do these things, and take great care of |
| her new product. There were the parties and the fund | | | | myself, and have a lot of time just alone or being with |
| raisers. There were the meetings and the press | | | | my close circle of friends and family, I feel more |
| events. There was excitement, and the fulfillment of a | | | | productive. I'm more creative, and I'm happier. I feel |
| dream that she had been working on for many years. | | | | more centered, and more balanced. I lose the anxiety, |
| After the big event, she was sick for a month. Colds, | | | | and the stress. I can also handle more stress because |
| flu, congestion, aching, you name it, she had it. And as | | | | I feel stronger. |
| soon as she got well, she jumped on a plane and did a | | | | It's taken me years to find the formula that works for |
| tour promoting her product. She ran and ran and ran | | | | me. I know immediately when I'm out of balanced. I |
| herself into the ground and it'll be no surprise to anyone | | | | start losing things and my clothes pile up in my closet. |
| to hear, she got sick once again. | | | | My desk gets overly cluttered and my house looks |
| Another client I work with dealt with another stressful | | | | messy. I start getting a bit pudgy and my clothes feel |
| event which ultimately caused her illness. This lady is a | | | | tight. My nails and my hair start to look worn and I don't |
| manager and had to cover during work for a few | | | | feel the inner spark that I love to share with others. |
| employees who were out with pregnancy and a | | | | So like today, in the midst of my excitement, I took the |
| surgery. My client is completely capable and able to do | | | | morning off to spend with my dog. She needed me. |
| the jobs of her co workers well, but the stress got to | | | | She had a cough. So I took her for a walk. I read my |
| her. She ended up caving and fell ill at the end of her | | | | bible and I wrote in my journal. I spoke with my mom a |
| ramped up time. She ended up missing several days | | | | few times and emailed and called a dear old friend. I |
| of work in a row as a result, which ultimately did not | | | | spent time out on my porch just reading and soaking in |
| help the department. As a matter of fact, it COST the | | | | the sun shine. Later, even after work, I felt good. I |
| department. It slowed down the work because of the | | | | handled some "parental stress" that is a part of a |
| several sick days. | | | | working mom's day such as dinner, bath time and |
| What these two clients had in common was that they | | | | getting a splinter out of a screaming child's finger. I |
| put their work before themselves. They put the goals | | | | handled it all with grace and ease. I felt fine that even |
| of their company before their own, and sacrificed over | | | | though there was a bit of chaos around me, it didn't |
| and over until they made the sacrifice of their health. | | | | affect me. I was in the flow and it felt right. |
| They ended up having to take off a lot of time from | | | | When we finally get this lesson about taking good care |
| work after the fact and their work probably suffered | | | | of ourselves, we've usually already done it wrong for a |
| while they were there because both of them worked | | | | good many years. I sure did. I used to live on adrenaline |
| while they were sick. | | | | and was a complete junky. As a result, I never felt |
| Putting ourselves first often sounds selfish. It sounds | | | | really good. I was overweight and out of shape. And, |
| like we're self important or too good to work too hard. | | | | I'd prefer to not go back there. |
| Nothing can be further from the truth. If we value the | | | | So to challenge yourself, just review for yourself what |
| company or our work, we'll value ourselves first. If we | | | | YOU need to do to feel good about yourself. Do you |
| take care of ourselves, we'll be strong for our | | | | need exercise? Do you need a special meal? Do you |
| company. If we take care of ourselves, we won't get | | | | need to bask in the sunlight or get a massage? |
| sick after the busy time, or stressful times. | | | | Whatever it is, make it happen. Trade massages with |
| Taking care of ourselves means different things to | | | | someone else if you have to, but figure it out. |
| different people. To me, it means getting in exercise | | | | Your body will thank you. Your mind will thank you. |
| several days a week and eat healthy foods. It means | | | | And ultimately your life will thank you, and reward you, |
| getting lots of down time, to be alone and to read and | | | | just for taking care of yourself. |
| write. To me, it means getting to spend time laughing | | | | |