Aspire Magazine: Inspiration for a Woman's Soul.(TM) Dec/Jan 2018 Aspire Mag Full Issue: Taking Time fo | Page 71

However, somehow when we take time for us we often have a rush of negative emotions. Feelings of guilt, self-judgement or second guessing our actions flood our minds. We use words like ‘should’ and tell ourselves that we are selfish or not enough. I’m here to tell you that none of this is true. You are so deserving of self-love, self-care and time. Time is the gift, you just need to allow yourself to take and receive it. That is a tricky thing to do in a world full of obligations and responsibilities to others. In a world where everyone is over extended, overwhelmed and moving at lightning speed. If you are like most women I know and work with you give all of you and your time to others. You are busy meeting their needs, nurturing and supporting their dreams and desires. When you do that you are left with no time or space for you. You neglect your own simple needs and ultimately find yourself feeling empty, often angry, resentful and perhaps unfulfilled. We get so lost in the care and concern for those around us that when it’s “our turn” we are out of energy and time. So, how do to you learn to take care of you, stand in your power and know it’s ok to take care of your needs? How do you learn to love and care for you first? The answer to these questions is quite simple. However, to see positive change you must take action. Massive self-loving action! The answer is this, you must commit to yourself and the work of loving you more. You must create the time for self-care which often means putting the needs of others aside or doing less. You must practice talking to yourself in a loving way and creating new dialog in your head. When you take time to “show yourself the “love,” you begin to release negative thoughts and emotions that make you stuck or have you playing the shame blame game. Over time you will learn to acknowledge and release negative thoughts and behaviors without judgement or second guessing. It will be challenging work at first but with daily commitment to you and this practice you will see positive change and begin to love yourself more every single day! Once you have made a solid commitment to yourself and this new daily practice I suggest you give this exercise a try. This simple exercise takes less than 5 minutes a day. Every morning before you start your day I would like you to take time for what I refer to as “being in the practice”. It’s how we show ourselves love before the day gets crazy. Do it first thing! Your first step is to come up with five loving statements to say to yourself each morning. It will be your new way of starting 71 When you take time to “show yourself the love,” you begin to release negative thoughts and emotions that make you stuck or have you playing the shame blame game.