LEARNING to take care of yourself...

{Post: 251/365 Original Post: I AM a QUEEN}
I find learning to care for myself difficult because I've spent the better part of my life taking care of others most specifically my husband and my children but, also being available for friends and family too.
I LOVE to do all of that. I am happy to take care of anyone who needs me to do so.
I am beginning to understand though that I deserve to be taken care of too.
By MYSELF!
Following is a list of some things that I am going to TRY very much to begin to do for myself. Some of them are things that I have done before but, many of them are things that I have never done and learning to do them is somewhat of a challenge for me. I'm not really sure why...
However, it is LONG OVERDUE time that I take better care of myself so that I may continue to take care of my people as well.
I WILL try to:

Wash my hair with my fave shampoos.

Buy special soap once in awhile.

Don't feel guilty for having to pay extra for a bubble bath!

Paint my fingers and toes.

Moisturize arms, legs, hands, feet and body.

Dress up to feel better.

Have a good and positive attitude.

Eat fruits and veggies.

Drink 8 glasses of water a day.

OR take the time to make a cup of tea.

Get enough sleep!

Keep busy with hobbies and exercise my mind!

Walk, ride exercise bike or DRUM for exercise!

Journal for health.

Plan healthy meal plans and stick with them.

Follow any or all of these things yourself if you want and learn to take care of YOU too!

Take CARE of THEMSELVES

{Post 88/365: Original Post: Girls SHOULD}
Apparently my life has been trying to tell me in no uncertain terms for quite a long time that I need to devote some time to taking care of myself. I don't seem to be a very good listener!
I know that most girls have their own particular "beauty rituals" that make them feel pampered and taken care of so they can get recharged and refreshed and keep on kicking ass like all the great girls do but, I've never really been that girl. I've always been a wash and go kind of girl.
I don't:

• bother with make-up or the rituals that go with that
• straighten, curl, or even blow dry my hair-told ya wash and go
• get pedicures
• or manicures- though my friend gave me one once for my birthday

What things do you do to recharge and refresh your will to live and keep going? 

We all know life can get us down sometimes and we all need something to be the "five minutes of ME time" lol. Some of us even decide to "take a ME day" though we can't do this EVERY day!

I like to have a bubble bath but, I am beginning to think that I need a RITUAL of me time.  I need a bigger chunk of time to devote to myself and some *NEW* ideas about what can be part of this ritual.

I need to find new and better ways to show LOVE to myself so that I will not feel bad or depressed and give up when I set goals and fall short. Time and ritual to recharge so I can take a deep breath, start anew and try again.

I have MANY things I have to manage in my life, most of them having to do with my health and many of them feeling difficult to do or change and I sometimes fall short and want to even give up trying. So I want to create a time for affirming to myself that I am strong enough and capable enough to KEEP trying and that someday I will get to exactly where I want to be.

So I search for a new *ME* ritual to allow me to know I am worthy to myself as well as the others around me. If you have any suggestions feel free to share! :)