A Weekly Date... with Yourself!

Things can get hectic in day to day life. Everyone has different demands and responsibilities, which can get overwhelming. Myself, I keep a strict diet, exercise every day, and lately have been spending any time not working or staying healthy by renovating my home. Add in stressors like taking care of kids or relatives, keeping up friendships, going to school, moving, second jobs or projects, and there's no end in sight to the work.

Sometimes because of all the endless activity that I seem to be doing for very little result (everything takes time), I get worn out not just physically but mentally and emotionally. What's the point of working so hard when you can't enjoy what you reap from it? Sometimes working towards a goal is reward enough in itself, but it's also important to take a moment to reflect on other things.

My husband and I often work 6 days a week, and usually very long hours. So every Sunday morning we set aside some "us" time. It's informal and no pressure, we just go where we want to go and do what we want to do. There's no set schedule or itinerary. Often we'll have breakfast or lunch away from the house and sit and have a long chat, sometimes we'll see a movie, go to church, take a walk in a park, go to a museum, visit family or go to the beach. On these days I don't think about my diet or exercise, I don't work on any projects (unless I just really take joy in it that day). Fulfilling or thought-provoking conversation and a good meal recharge my batteries, but it could be anything that makes you feel great and fulfilled.

The point of taking the time out is to give your mind and your body a reprieve. There are some days where I'd rather not take the day off so I'll give myself just a couple of hours. But it's the refreshment of having a long thoughtful discussion and not obsessing over anything I need to do and allowing myself not to take things so seriously that gets me through the week. You don't need a significant other to have your weekly date. You can spend the time with a friend or family member, or even take joy in being alone with yourself. But always knowing that I have my quiet Sunday mornings keeps me sane and balanced, even on a Wednesday when the weekend feels far away and I would much rather have a peanut butter cup than another plate of grilled veggies. Knowing that I'm blessed enough to be able to take a couple hours to myself each week is plenty for me to be grateful for.

Find a day that works with your schedule and commit it to being your time to yourself. Know that no matter what crazy things happen you will always have that time. Until next time, keep it clean!