Self-care seems to be all the rage these days
The interesting thing about it is that I don’t think that term was even around until about five years ago.
Growing up, I never heard my parents talk about self-care. The first time I heard the term, my gut reaction was “Sounds selfish to me”.
Related Post: 5 Simple Self Care Tips for Busy Moms
I tend to be a little judgy sometimes. I’m working on that.
You see, I was raised in a very conservative Christian home. I was one of six kids and homeschooled my entire life. My mom found joy in being a homemaker and taking care of our family. I never heard her talk about self-care. I think it is partially a generational gap.
Back then woman found value and worth in servitude. Nobody spoke about the need to take care of yourself. Rather give of yourself to others.
While I do think that it is important to give sacrificially, I can’t help but come to terms with the fact that there is a necessity for self-care.
When I became a mom, my number one priority was to take care of my baby and my husband. Because I had the idea of servitude engrained deep within me, thinking of or taking care of myself just seemed selfish.
The problem was that I was getting worn out.
No, I was drowning in motherhood. I wasn’t sleeping because my first baby was the worst sleeper on planet earth and I was chronically exhausted. It affected every single area of my life.
Still, I didn’t make taking care of myself a priority until after I had my second baby. I had been growing increasingly depressed and started to resent motherhood. I was so overwhelmed and didn’t know how to manage this new life.
You see, being a stay at home mom is one of the greatest gifts but also the greatest struggles of life. Some mamas seem to adjust perfectly and find unending joy in staying home with their babies. I envied those mamas for a very long time.
Others find it terribly hard to stay motivated, content, and not feel forgotten by the world. I was the latter.
Shortly after I had my second baby I decided that I was going to take control of my life. I knew that God had specifically placed me in my family for a reason and I didn’t want to waste the opportunity he had given me.
The first thing I started doing was implementing self-care.
I’m not talking manicures and messages. I’m talking basic human needs like making sleep a priority and drinking more water.
And do you know what? I started to feel better. Within the first week, I started seeing life in a completely different light.
You Cannot Pour From An Empty Glass
It took me two years of being a mama to realize that you cannot pour from an empty glass. I used to think that was just a saying until I experienced it in real time.
If you are not taking the time to intentionally fill your soul and take care of your body, you will give until you are utterly depleted. Then nobody wins.
We were created to rest, to Sabbath, and to recharge in order to fully be able to worship and give of ourselves.
You will not be able to fully give if your glass is depleted.
Self Care Is Not Selfish, It’s Stewardship
Your body is the temple of the holy ghost and we are bought with a price. I Corinthians 6:19
Self-care is not about selfishness. It’s about being a good steward of the temple of the holy ghost. I think it’s important how we define self-care but it’s also important to note it looks different for everyone.
We were not bought with a price so we could neglect the temple of the holy ghost.
Taking care of yourself is part of taking caring of your kids.
Self Care Enables You To Give Of Yourself More Freely
When I am being intentional about self-care, I’m a better mom. I NEED sleep and time away from my kids to renew my mind.
I have found that I am able to be more patient and loving with my kids. And I end up being able to give more of myself to others.
Maybe not in quantity but definitely in quality.
You Can Only Love Others As Much As You Love Yourself
I realize self-care and self-love are two different things but they really do go hand in hand.
We are called to love our neighbors as ourselves. How can we fully love our neighbor when we don’t even know where to begin to love ourselves?
The same goes for self-care. We will be able to take better care of our husbands, littles, and friends when we are taking care of ourselves.
Self Neglect Is Selfish
Neglecting yourself in the name of “giving of yourself” comes with a price. When you refuse to accept your needs you will eventually hit a wall.
Trust me, as a mom of three little people under four, it is much harder on my family when I am sick, hungry, or tired. They need me to be attentive, strong and have energy in order to keep up with the constant demands of motherhood.
If you don’t take time to make healthy choices, you will eventually be forced to make time for sickness.
When you refuse to take time to connect with your spouse, you will wake up one day and realize that you are married to someone you don’t even know.
As mamas, we need to be diligent in taking care of ourselves and our families BEFORE we begin to serve outside of our homes.
In Conclusion: I hope this article inspires you to take a step back and understand the importance of self-care and the difference between self-care and selfishness. Because you truly are limited as to how much you can give without first filling your own cup.
Xoxo
Colleen
May Your Coffee Be Stronger Than Your Toddler
Pin to your favorite Pinterest board for future reference.