25 Oct
2005
By: Jan Hornford
It often seems that our days are engulfed in a myriad of tasks.
Today we have many responsibilities and many roles – spouse,
parent, sibling, child, friend, and career worker. Do you find
you lose yourself in your relationships, in your nurturing
roles, and in the busyness of life? Does it seem like your life
has become a series of tasks to complete, rather than moments
to enjoy? We often get so caught up in the DOING that we forget
to BE.
Usually the first thing to go in this whirlwind of activity
is time for ourselves. Lack of time for ourselves often leads
to feeling frustrated, tired, overwhelmed and out of balance.
Without this time for self, we lose sight of what’s important
to us and of what we need to be our best.
If you are feeling like life is out of control, that you are
undervalued, that you are too busy, or if you put the needs of
others consistently before your own, then it is time to create
some time and space for yourself. Taking time for yourself
allows you to renew, heal, and create reserves of energy and
peace. Honouring yourself enables you to discover your truth,
access your creativity and experience a sense of peace,
wholeness, purpose, and balance.
Taking time for yourself is really about Self-Care and is an
extremely important component to creating the life you want. It
is about honouring yourself and connecting with yourself. Taking
care of yourself is one of the first steps on the journey of
discovering your truth and accessing your creativity. When you
take time for yourself it allows you to stop doing for awhile
and to just BE. It is in the Being where your power lies. You
automatically raise your standards and capabilities and create
potential and possibility in your life. When you honour and
nurture yourself you can hear your inner voice much more
clearly – you can hear your own truth and this connection
enables you to live authentically.
In order to make time for yourself consider the following. Write
the answers down on a piece of paper or in your journal or
notebook.
Coaching Questions
* How could it be a gift to others to take time for yourself?
* What would it take to make time for yourself a priority?
* What activities bring you joy or nurture you?
* What is keeping you from doing the things that energise
and inspire you?
* How can you bring more of these simple treats into your day?
Take Action
Commit to doing one activity from the list you created each day
for the next week.
Each day take 5 minutes for yourself. Find a quiet place where
you can sit and not be disturbed. Close your eyes and simply
follow the path of your breath. Just focus on your breath. If
other thoughts come in, just let them go. If you find this
difficult at first, then focus on repeating the affirmation
“I am happy and peaceful”. Quieting your mind and body and
focusing on the breath will help to change your emotional state
and provide your soul with a peaceful respite from the busyness
of your day.
Time for yourself does not have to take half a day or come at
someone else’s expense. In fact, taking the time to replenish
and nurture yourself will give you more energy and you will be
better able to support those you love. It is often the simple
things that can make the biggest difference. For example,
sitting in your favourite chair and sipping a cup of tea,
going for a walk, or listening to your favourite music. I
encourage you to carve out 15 minutes for yourself each day
to do something that nurtures you and brings you joy. Try it as
an experiment for one week and see what changes for you. Reclaim
your Self! When you do, you will experience a sense of peace,
renewal, and connection.
I offer a variety of e-courses and e-retreats that are
designed to help you Reclaim your Self and experience the
peace and sense of wholeness that comes from knowing your
purpose and living authentically.
Jan Hornford is a Life Coach & Retreat Leader whose passion is to help individuals re-connect with their own wisdom and power and
to support them to create the life they want. Her retreats offer
the opportunity to experience joyful self-care, connection, and
possibility. For more information, please take a look at her
website: http://www.futureperfect.ca Or, call her: 403-313-4064 For more information about the free 4 week e-course:
“Living Authentically: Honouring Your Truth in Everyday Life”
visit: http://www.futureperfect.ca/store/index.php?cPath=1
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