It's not Selfish... It's Self-Care
10/10 would not recommend having a baby during a global pandemic.
Our journey to baby was over 800 days in the making and as if infertility wasn't jarring enough we welcomed our rainbow baby at the start of the pandemic in 2020. Being a new mom is difficult...being a mom in general is a new adventure and challenge every day. Add in a global pandemic and lack of access to your support system outside of your partner and ... it's rough.
COVID allowed me to be a part of Eila's day, and not miss a moment in these first few years of her life as I transitioned from full time work in an office to remote part-time work. It also brought me the gift of self-awareness, a new found love for therapy sessions, and a whole ton of introspection.
Here are my top 5 fav self-care activities to keep my mama brain sane and my creative juices flowing:
1. Take the time you need to build the life you want. It's easy to move through the motions when you have a million items on your to-do list, but it's so much worth while to hit pause. An easy start to making more time for yourself is to carve out a few min. each day for yourself doing something to fill your soul.
2. Get outside! Whether its going for a walk, hike, or just soaking up some sun like the disregarded plant we all have felt like before getting outside is a good way to take moment to refill your cup.
3. Set realistic and achievable goals. Nothing is worse than setting a goal and feeling like you're a million miles from being able to accomplish it. Setting realistic and achievable goals and finding a way to tackle them in bite sized chunks helps keep you moving to the life you want.
4. Plan a date night with yourself or a loved one. Since the arrival of our little my hubby and I have planned at home date nights more often. We watch a new movie, make good food, and just enjoy our time together.
5. Get the energy out. Sometimes thoughts and feelings aren't too quick to leave us. In these cases, journaling is helpful to get the energy out.