Happy Self-Improvement Month y’all! It has been a hectic past couple of years for everyone across the world. We've been through and grown so much, and sometimes we put ourselves on the lowest rung of priorities as we try to get through life. For me, this meant I would go-go-go until I physically couldn't continue; which typically meant getting sick.
In 2021, I decided that that wasn't a healthy nor sustainable way to continue. For my health, I started stepping back and learning/setting boundaries. My “me time” looks different every day. Sometimes it’s a one minute breathing break between meetings. Other days, I schedule time in the garden or yard with no phone. I took up running and started baking again. I went back to hobbies that I loved but had spent years telling myself I did not have time for. I started relearning how to crochet, giving myself tentative reading challenges for self-improvement, leadership, and mental health books and focused on drinking more water. My “me time” changes depending on what I need at that given time. Some days, I don’t have as much time to spend on myself; sometimes, I need a couple of days. As I have continued growing and relearning myself, I am more aware of what I need and when I need to step back and take a “refresher” so I can come back feeling healthy and ready to crush my work.
When I first decided that “hustle culture” wasn't how I wanted to spend my days, I decided to follow this tip and schedule time for the things I enjoyed. If we see them marked on a planner or calendar, it's like a meeting with ourselves — which means we are less likely to cancel it. If you think you will, schedule a coffee date (virtual or in-person) with a friend. Right now, I read and take naps in the hammock on the back porch because it allows me to spend time with myself in a peaceful setting. Learn to make time for you because it has benefits for your mental health as well as your overall health.
I hope you're having a wonderful fall semester so far and I’m cheering for you. Onward and upward!
