R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

Respecting yourself with time for yourself.

Ever wonder why everyone is so tense? Ever wonder if you'll ever do for yourself what you've promised to do for years? aka "I'll get that manicure" or "I'll do that when the kids are asleep".

Granted, life takes over. Laundry needs to be done, groceries need to be shopped for, bills need to be paid. Don't you wish you had a magic wand to get it all done?

That said, we all have a hard time admitting that we don't get things done, let alone get things done for OURSELVES. But, unlike our taxes, vacuuming, or painting that hallway, WE can't wait.

We need to make time for ourselves. I hear you laughing, I really DO! Toddlers don't wait, why should I?

Even if you don't have a rug rat running around your home 24/7, we just don't put ourselves first.

But it's TIME. Time to find a sitter and get a massage. Time to drop the kids off at Mom & Dads and have that date night. Time to set aside the TV and play scrabble with that significant other that you haven't seen all week.

The point is, MAKE time. The more you practice making 5 minutes here, or 10 minutes there, the easier it will get. Even if it's just 15 minutes worth of that paperback you've been trying to read. No one has ever said it wasn't worth it.

It doesn't have to cost money, you don't have to drive anywhere. Just find that niche where you can sit and think, read, nap, relax, take pictures, do crafts, or cook. (I tend to bake as a way to relax, and my co-workers know it!)