I had an outstanding time at my first Self Renewal Twitter Party for Moms that took play last Thursday night. Here is a recap of what I learned during this two-hour self-renewal online dialog for moms…
1. Lisa from Mommy Mystic is the best person to invite to a party. Thanks Lisa for being the best Twitter partygoer ever!
2. The book Wherever You Go, There You Are
3. Being a mom is teaching me to go with the flow more, to not control everything, to let life unfold. I have a lot more to learn because when I hit a bump, I reach for that control button almost every time.
4. Renée Trudeau and Sara Bogan are doing amazing work helping moms reconnect with their authentic selves, create balance, and practice self-care in a way that is fun, inspiring and supportive. I’d love to work with these women to take my next Self Renewal Twitter Party to the next level.
5. It’s so easy to forget about our husbands in the midst of a hectic household (thanks Mommy Mystic for this reminder). Finding a babysitter is back onto my to-do list.
6. Self-care can be about taking care of yourself physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually so you can live, love and parent authentically.
7. Mentally, I need to share my voice, write, learn, grow, explore, and challenge myself.
8. Spiritually, I need to be creative, be in nature, and meditate.
9. Emotionally, I need connect with my authentic self, connect with my husband, and belong to a sense of community.
10. Physically, I need to exercise, eat healthy, drink lots of water, and manage stress.
This is Your Moment
Let us know in the comments section what you are doing TODAY (physically, mentally, emotionally and/or spiritually) to make your self-care a priority.
Hi Stacey – sounds like you had an awesome party! I think the main thing I am doing for my self care at the moment is to be extra diligent in noticing whether the things I do moment to moment are what I really have the juice for doing (rather than, say, looking for new clothes because I do need some).
Stacey, great job on the renewal party, I look forward to more! I think this is a wonderful use for Twitter, because it is there forever, and we can search on #renewal and read the thread whenever we want. As you know, I really liked your self-renewal list, I think it is very complete. This is a crazy week for me with my eldest starting kindergarten (I know you are in the same boat), and my twins starting at a new preschool. I realized I was feeling very frazzled by the new routine and all the surprises (mostly traffic and parking related) that have been popping up, so this morning I went for a long walk with my dog on a nature trail nearby after getting everyone dropped off. I had planned to run errands instead, but realized I really needed this, or was going to be snappy with the kids when I picked them up. It worked wonders, and now I feel calm and organized, and I think that is really the lesson of self-renewal of any type, and I know you have mentioned this too – it often feels like a luxury, like something we shouldn’t take the time for, but when we do we function so much better. – Lisa
I missed the party, but not beacsue I wasn’t invited!
I meditate, practice yoga, exercise on the elliptical, go for walks, am part of a supportive women’s group, speak with a Buddhist teacher/therapist, go up to silent retreats at Spirit Rock once or twice a year, and take other times of solitude here and there when I can. Though I cannot engage in these things every day, I try to make them a priority.
Hi there,
Good to hear you had fun and learned a few helpful lessons.
I just booked the hairdresser and the chiropractor for next week :-).
The babysitter is booked for this saturday and we’re going to a party. I make sure I have an afternoon per week if possible to do my art or my things.
Thanks for sharing your wisdom.
Mimi
When you said “This is Your Moment,” interestingly enough, that was a good reminder for me to listen to the song “This Is The Moment” from Jekyll & Hyde, which is one of the most inspirational songs in my life. I also sing it all the time in the car. 🙂
Robin – Being aware and mindful is a wonderful way to practice self-care!
Lisa (mommymystic) – Thanks for attending the party and for supporting me along the way. It has been a crazy week for me too and I am celebrating all the self-care you deliberately placed into your life this week to balance the chaos with some serenity so you can function to the best of your ability.
Mermaid – Your list of self-care practices sounds so relaxing and peaceful. I know you don’t do all things everyday, but just reading your list calms my spirit.
Mimi – Happy to hear to you doing something for yourself and doing something social with others. Have fun!
Chris – I’ll have to check out that song. Listening to great music is a wonderful way to practice self-care. When I jump into a song, it’s almost like a mini three minute vacation.
“Being a mom is teaching me to go with the flow more, to not control everything” – same here. What a relief!
Stacey,
Sounds like your Twitter party was fun and insightful! Very good reminders, and I will definitely check out “Wherever You Go, There You Are”. Thank you!
I balance raising my two kids as a single mom with working full time in a hospital. I love lots of interaction, but to regroup I make sure to get some solitude every day. When the kids are in school, and I have a day off I do something myself–yoga, kayak, run, read, write….and then schedule activities with friends. When our days are busy I have less “me” time, but make sure to wake up early to journal, or to give us all time in the evening to sit quietly and do what we’d like. I am trying to teach the children to get their “me” time as well. There are some days my “me” time is in the shower so I use those precious minutes to savor my bath products, take a deep breath, and enjoy the peace. I know these years will go by quickly and then I’ll have much more “me” time than I’ll know what to do with:)
Vered – The more we can BE as moms the better!!!
Joy – Welcome to the Create a Balance community. I listen to “Wherever You Go, There You Are” on my ipod on a regular basis and highly recommend the book. I also need introvert time to refuel everyday. I also find waking up early is a true gem when looking for extra quite me time during very busy days.