Why Its Important To Just Take 5.

Tell You That You Love

I've come to notice that I constantly tell people that I love them whether it’s my partner, my mother or my friends, but I couldn’t recall the last time that I told myself I love me...

Before the covid-19 lockdown I always found things, I did for myself were always rushed or I didn’t bother to do them at all because they felt like a chore, I feel that self-love shouldn’t be a chore. You could be a new mum that’s dodging dirty nappies with baby sick over your left shoulder, a granddaughter that’s caring for her elderly grandmother with dementia trying to stick a post it note on every cupboard to help her not forget, A son trying to comfort his mother after his father just left them or even just a working guy or girl that goes to work 8-5 and tries to squeeze the gym and a social life into every day of the week. Without taking any time to love yourself.

I know it can be hard with our flat out lifestyles but why have we suddenly started neglecting ourselves? Regardless of the situation we need to make time for us, for the little things. How often do you say to yourself you would love to go on a holiday, spa day, dine in that new restaurant in town or whatever it is you get your kicks from... but suddenly you make up a small excuse as to why you have no time, I’m about to tell you something that will change your life. *pause*

There is always time...

Since this pandemic and being in lockdown I have not rushed a single process, simply because I do not have to, I do not have to do anything. I take my time to wash my hair leaving the blonde shampoo on for the 10 whole minutes I’m supposed to whilst starring in my own shower singing show, I actually painted my toes instead of just painting over the chipped bits, I’ve read more books, I’ve moisturised from head to toe every day and I’ve even started drawing again, which I love, I love doing for me!

These are all tiny little things that are or should be part of my daily or weekly routines. Sometime when I think of parts of my routine, I think I MUST do it and for me that is why it becomes a chore. Take cooking for example I used to love cooking, but the way mine and my partners routines panned out I would end up cooking most nights and I just hated it, I felt like it was such a chore... but now he has cooked pretty much every night since lockdown ( thanks for feeding me babe ) however last week I found a tasty sounding recipe for Spanish chicken so I turned on the stove and cooked up a storm and I really enjoyed making it, and eating it. Simply because I did not see it as a chore I wanted to cook.

I have heard a few people make up crappy excuses I will give you an example. Friend A was telling Friend B that the previous day she had a crap day and went home run herself a bath and drank a large glass of wine, Friend B turned and said I wish I had time for that she finally got her kid to bed then had to clean up the house, while her partner just sat watching tv you lose all luxury moments to yourself when you have kids she said.

I wanted to tell Friend B that she still can have those luxury moments either tell her partner to put their child down and do dishes or if she was even single id be telling her to put her child to bed and run that bath and stick the baby monitor next to the sink, to which I would imagine she would reply something like ' it’s not as simple as that I have a house hold to run'. Ok then leave the dishes, do them tomorrow heck do them at the weekend, if you read my post about Wanting what we can’t have I touch on not sweating the small stuff, the dishes can wait they aren’t going to grow mould overnight and we shouldn’t be picking dishes over self-love.

You are probably thinking well that is all well and good we are in lockdown everyone is got heaps of time that is just not possible on your normal routine… but everything is possible, okay maybe you might not manage to holiday, spa weekend but let us pre plan and make some small starter promises to ourselves for post lockdown. Even the most simple of things can be luxurious if we make them, we need to take the time, take time for ourselves I can’t stress enough how important it is to say we love ourselves whether that’s in a physical or mental form.

-Take 5 minutes to moisturise

- Pick your top 5 songs to listen to in the shower

- Read 5 Pages of your book

- Cook that new recipe

- Binge watch that Netflix episode

- Look at the stars in silence from your front door

- Pet your cat, dog, hamster whatever and be with your thoughts whilst doing so

- Make a mental note of the things you love about yourself

- Sit in the empty bathtub to get away from your kids (saw that one in a movie) - Heck masturbate if you want to

My point is that 5 minutes can really make a difference, by taking time for yourself every day you will create 5 minutes of luxury in self-love, 5 minutes where you don’t have to think about anyone else or do anything for anyone else, 5 minutes to just be selfish.

Stop making excuses Lets learn to love again Lets learn to love ourselves. Let us learn to just take 5.

Thanks for reading

Bee :)