We do things for others all the time and think nothing about it. I cook, grocery shop, fix things, do laundry, all because I love my family and want them to feel that love and happy. I send cards to friends for special occasions and for no reason at all except to make them smile. I buy the car behind me their coffee on days I am feeling down. The other day, we were out to dinner and this couple near us didn’t get to go out much and were very economically making dinner choices. I did the sneaky thing and bought their dinner (they never knew who did it). I switch shifts or take desk shifts for co-workers when they need it. I do drop box (normally not a manager task). I like to do things for others, it is what makes me Me. I was taught from birth to say thank you, give up your seat and hold the door. To not do these things, well it throws me off.
I had a friend tell me one time my mean was normal people’s nice. I think that is a bit of an exaggeration. I am not alone. I know there are tons of people out there like this. The nurturers of the world. Heck, I have even gotten free coffee one morning from one of you. Which brings me to my title.
When my friends have a birthday, I tend to wish in a card and then on a FB post, if they are FB people…Happy all about you day! Do something special for you!
But what about every day? You need to do something nice for you each and every day. You are just as deserving as the people for which you do those RAOK and changing the tone of their whole day.
I pondered this in the o’dark hundred hours of the morning. What do I do for me? And I am getting much better about it. I have set it as a focus the last six months. I tend to cook myself breakfast every morning before work, sit down at the table, complete with place setting and eat it. Most nights when my husband travels, I also make dinner for myself again sitting at the table and maybe some candles. I buy myself flowers when I see pretty ones. Big splurge this last month was Spotify. I signed up and I love it. I do so much better mentally with music as my background soundtrack and this is perfect. Classical mornings, Robert Palmer drive in to work, all the music from Mr. Mercedes for the drive home, random pod casts for a road trip. Yeah, this was a very cool gift to me. And I am getting better about giving myself time. About saying, know what I’m not doing the weekly cleaning of the kitchen floor this week, and then give myself the 30 minutes and read. I still struggle with giving myself time as a gift but I am trying.
And that is what I want you to do, try. Try putting yourself first a wee bit more often. Try doing something for you each and every day. Even if it is an extra minute in the warm shower or taking the time to rub lotion into your hands (true story, walked around last week for two days with one hand of nails trimmed and the other not because I “didn’t have time”; yeah, feel free to eye roll me, I have). Or splurge bigger, favorite X you always decide is too expensive to get. Buy yourself flowers and celebrate the awesome that is you. But do something every day, just for you! You are worth it.
kkdonk 