Schedule an Appointment with Yourself!

When the demands on our time seem relentless and eternal, and we feel like the life we are living is not our own, it becomes increasingly difficult to put our needs anywhere near the top of our "to do" lists. We are too busy taking care of everyone else, while we barely find time to eat meals sitting down or head to the bathroom when nature calls. As time passes, we begin to wonder, "Whose life is this anyway?"

As women, we are notorious for taking care of others at our own expense. Eventually, though, we start feeling resentful, unappreciated, and used up. When concerned friends and relatives tell us we need to make time for ourselves, we quickly respond with "I DON'T HAVE THE TIME!" Of course, we are right. The empty time slots in our calendars fill up rapidly, often weeks in advance. So what can exhausted women do?

The answer is simple. We must first decide that OUR NEEDS MATTER! Then we can schedule appointments with ourselves in our calendar that we honor as much as we do all the other demands on our time. What might we do during our scheduled appointments? Try the following and/or come up with some of your own ideas. The possibilities are endless.

• take a nap
• meditate
• go for a walk
• play with a puppy/kitten
• turn on the radio and sing or dance
• exercise
• get a manicure or pedicure
• go shopping
• swim
• read a book
• journal
• draw
• play a game
• get a makeover
• write a letter
• talk to a friend
• daydream
• take a bubble bath
• go wine tasting

Copyright © 2008 by Holly Cox, L.C. P.C., C.D.C.®