We give.
And, well…give.The men in our lives give so much in their own way, but today, this one is about the women. (I do think men struggle as well, so if you’re male….consider reading…xo)
Like many of us, I work full time and struggle to juggle my relationship, time with loved ones, and solo time to take care of myself. Balancing on the beam of life is a skill they don’t teach us in school…..and should!
This kind of balance is a constant art that requires constant focus.
I think of the many, many women before me that personally happen to have an extra battery inside their hearts that enabled them to give…..and give….and well…give.
Yet, because of that extra battery inside, and because we are female, naturally taking care of those around us, we need to be extra wary of taking care of ourselves last.
Keeping yourself fully charged and in balance requires good boundaries. If you don’t know what your boundaries are, welcome to the world of the unbalanced woman. If you do know what your boundaries are: welcome to the world of saying no.
Have you ever noticed that when you really take care of yourself and set clear boundaries, the people around you freak out?
I’ve learned to let them.
When we over give and take care of the people around us before taking care of ourselves, we’re operating on empty. Ever notice how your car performs on an empty tank?
Whether it’s taking time in the early hours of the morning to center yourself, or letting your family fend for themselves while you slip away for an hour of exercise….filling your tank is a necessity. Like our cars, we can go a few days letting our tank slowly empty out, but there comes a point that the gauge reads empty and at that point, there is no grace period.
It’s not easy to say no. In fact, as women, it’s counter intuitive. But in today’s world, it’s our responsibility to ourselves and those we love to stay balanced. Balance lies in the middle. Saying yes AND saying no.
Giving to those around us, being flexible with most of what life throws us, and being present with the ones we love requires that extra battery we have inside of our hearts to be full.
xo