I’m Seriously Craving a Visit to the Dentist… what?!
When I had my kids, I 100% neglected myself and was (surprisingly) shocked that this emotional rollercoaster of a woman was raising my kids.
I’ve always been a high achiever and so I was racing between seemingly millions of kid tasks, intense work projects, giving my husband a quick ‘hello’ when he came home, and the ups and downs of emotions that overwhelmed me daily. There was absolutely no time for me, and I didn’t notice my neglect.
I remember rushing into the dentist’s chair for the first time post-kids and realized the chair was heaven. It didn’t matter that the lights were glaring, the sounds of the tools blaring, and my mouth in an awkward stretch… this was my me-time! I had to lay down, my kids couldn’t come, and nobody could really talk. Talk about desperation!
After sharing with my husband the fact that I surprisingly craved the dentist (!) and would love to try to go early next time for a couple coveted precious minutes in the waiting room (I had always arrived Just In Time for appointments), he encouraged my overwhelmed self to take a walk and when I did, the tears started flowing.
I was holding so much inside and that teensy bit of relief I felt in the dentist’s chair revealed just how stuck I was.
And so over time, I started to prioritize those “me breaks.” Occasionally I would go to a deep nourishing yoga class (with a lot of shavasana), and other days I would take 5 minutes with a candle and my journal. Two things were certain.
The me-time truly mattered and I felt calmer, more aligned, and happier when I took those breaks for myself.
Particularly in the beginning until I made self-care a habit, if I didn’t prioritize the time for myself, the default was for it not to happen… I had to make the conscious effort no matter what.
Life has certain chapters and seasons for different moments of time; some seasons give us ample space and time to explore our needs and interests, and others less so. If you are in a more “full” time of life with much on your plate, I invite you to still care for you and think about how you can nourish yourself today and everyday so the best version of you continues to rise to the top.