Today is another Life List Friday and I'm hanging out at Violeta's blog, Lyn Midnight against the odds. But before you go make sure to read the post below from the lovely and talented Jess Witkins! Take it away Jess!
Hello Life Listers and welcome to the blog hop. Big thanks to my amazing and talented host, Jennie. I'm thrilled to make my second appearance at her blog. Did you miss me? I missed you!
For many of us, this time of year signifies not only the change in seasons, but in our behaviors as well. The weather gets chillier, and the fall line up of our favorite TV shows begin! We cozy up to pumpkin lattes and argyle pattern cardigans (or socks). And then BAM! The holidays are upon us, we're rushing around with shopping lists, catering plans, extra folding chairs for this or that party tossed in the car trunk, and if you live where I do, stock up on sidewalk salt to start melting that oncoming snow. Are you exhausted yet?
It seems no matter how we try, or what we prioritize to get done, we never have enough time to just relax. To take care of ourselves! I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. My birthday was this Tuesday and I was out of town leading a training for work. Of course my fellow facilitators took the initiative to embarrass me in front of the group by making everyone sing to me at the training. When the day ended several people asked me how I was going to be celebrating the evening. Did I have any big plans? Not really. All I wanted to do was go out for a nice, relaxing dinner (I know a place with to-die-for salmon!) and then return to the hotel and take a hot bath with a good book. I spent my “birthday money to me” on handmade luxury bath products from Lush and was so excited to just chill out! And yet, I felt kind of guilty. I should be more social with the other attendees, invite them out for drinks. I shouldn't spend money on these bath bombs and lotions when I have better places for my money to go.
It was really difficult for me to just let go, and say, “It's okay, I deserve this!” And that was on my birthday! Gosh, if you can't indulge a little on THAT day, when can you?
And then things started to click. On the Fridays the LLC isn't posting, I blog about guilty pleasures. I LOVE guilty pleasures. I adore writing those posts, and receive most of my comments from them. It's a connector for us. We all like to indulge in things now and again – a favorite TV show, listening to a new CD, a glass of wine (or bottle) at the end of a long day, or Mmmm...Cheetos. While all of us are working towards our Life List goals, we need to remember there is a place along that journey to indulge once in awhile. There's definitely a place for delayed gratification, say when you're trying to achieve a word count goal and twitter keeps interrupting your progress. Using twitter as a reward once you EARN your word count goal is a great motivator. But sometimes we need more than that.
So I'm asking YOU! What commitment will you make to indulge in yourself? What kinds of things recharge you and get you ready to work towards your dreams and goals again?
AND there's more! I'm going to share your ideas in a future Life List Club post to help remind you and recognize that taking care of ourselves helps us to be happier, more motivated people. So speak up, what are your guilty pleasures, how will you make more time to indulge? And what do you hope to see happen with your goals by doing this?
For many of us, this time of year signifies not only the change in seasons, but in our behaviors as well. The weather gets chillier, and the fall line up of our favorite TV shows begin! We cozy up to pumpkin lattes and argyle pattern cardigans (or socks). And then BAM! The holidays are upon us, we're rushing around with shopping lists, catering plans, extra folding chairs for this or that party tossed in the car trunk, and if you live where I do, stock up on sidewalk salt to start melting that oncoming snow. Are you exhausted yet?
It seems no matter how we try, or what we prioritize to get done, we never have enough time to just relax. To take care of ourselves! I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. My birthday was this Tuesday and I was out of town leading a training for work. Of course my fellow facilitators took the initiative to embarrass me in front of the group by making everyone sing to me at the training. When the day ended several people asked me how I was going to be celebrating the evening. Did I have any big plans? Not really. All I wanted to do was go out for a nice, relaxing dinner (I know a place with to-die-for salmon!) and then return to the hotel and take a hot bath with a good book. I spent my “birthday money to me” on handmade luxury bath products from Lush and was so excited to just chill out! And yet, I felt kind of guilty. I should be more social with the other attendees, invite them out for drinks. I shouldn't spend money on these bath bombs and lotions when I have better places for my money to go.
It was really difficult for me to just let go, and say, “It's okay, I deserve this!” And that was on my birthday! Gosh, if you can't indulge a little on THAT day, when can you?
And then things started to click. On the Fridays the LLC isn't posting, I blog about guilty pleasures. I LOVE guilty pleasures. I adore writing those posts, and receive most of my comments from them. It's a connector for us. We all like to indulge in things now and again – a favorite TV show, listening to a new CD, a glass of wine (or bottle) at the end of a long day, or Mmmm...Cheetos. While all of us are working towards our Life List goals, we need to remember there is a place along that journey to indulge once in awhile. There's definitely a place for delayed gratification, say when you're trying to achieve a word count goal and twitter keeps interrupting your progress. Using twitter as a reward once you EARN your word count goal is a great motivator. But sometimes we need more than that.
So I'm asking YOU! What commitment will you make to indulge in yourself? What kinds of things recharge you and get you ready to work towards your dreams and goals again?
AND there's more! I'm going to share your ideas in a future Life List Club post to help remind you and recognize that taking care of ourselves helps us to be happier, more motivated people. So speak up, what are your guilty pleasures, how will you make more time to indulge? And what do you hope to see happen with your goals by doing this?
See you in the comments section! Save me some snacks and a seat!
Jess Witkins claims the title Perseverance Expert. She grew up in a small Wisconsin town as the much younger youngest sibling of four, she’s witnessed the paranormal, jumped out of a plane, worked in retail, traveled to exotic locations like Italy, Ireland, and Shipshewana, Indiana, and she’s eaten bologna and lived to tell about it! She deals with it all and writes about it! Come along on her midwest adventures; Witkins promises to keep it honest and entertaining. Go ahead, SUBSCRIBE, you know you want to.
Follow on Twitter: @jesswitkins
21 comments:
Cool:) I'll check it out, thanks:)
Jess, seriously great post thanks so much for visiting my blog! To answer your question, I think I'm going to let my creativity flow and not try to hold anything back when it comes to my characters. That way the writing will be so much more fun!
I, too, love your guilty pleasures posts. We all should have them, most of us don't make time for them. I love old, old back & white movies, so my treat each evening is watching one with hubs...sometimes it's a really cool documentary. Reading is also a treat for me, as is going out with hubs for a drive to explore one of the tiny towns in our area--armed with a camera and notepad, of course. And the there's chocolate, well I have tons of indulgences...just ahve to remember to allow myself to enjoy them AFTER work is done!
We definitely have to take care of ourselves. The whole put-your-oxygen-mask-on-first thing. If we don't fill our reserves, we can't really be there for others. Happy Birthday! And lovely post! Enjoy those pleasures...no guilt. :D
Happy Happy Birthday! This is such a great post, it makes me realize how if we don't indulge and allow ourselves these pleasures, then how on earth will we ever let ourselves live our life goals, the things we really want to be doing!
Sunday night is restore and prepare night for me - bath, lotions and potions, maybe a mask. Just a warm relaxing time to prepare for what's ahead (and, to be honest, it's been 3 weeks since my last Sunday Night bath! Sigh...
Jess, thanks for sharing your birthday experience and your story of how you treated yourself to a little indulgence. Happy Birthday! Taking care of ourselves and celebrating every once in a while is a good thing. Sometimes we deserve a break and a little pampering and if we don't treat ourselves to something nice, there may not be anyone to do it for us.
I think when we treat ourselves, we're better for it in everything else we do, with our writing, family, home. I always enjoy a long walk, especially on a daytrip exploring a new town, to re-energize :)
OK, now I can't get cupcakes off my mind. I'm gonna have to go bake and get back to you on the question...:-)
Jenny H
(who hates Blogger this week)
I love treating myself - fun post!
I've Become My Mother
I've Become My Mother facebook
I hate blogger this week too!
@J. A. Bennett
I love this idea, Jennie! Good luck with your writing. Keep us posted how it's going and what you've enjoyed most.
@Marcia Richards
OMG you are just like Carrie Bradshaw and Big from Sex in the City. LOL. Black and white movies in bed. Too adorable.
But you know I love them too, cause Cary Grant is my leading man. *swoon*
@Sonia G Medeiros
The oxygen mask metaphor, I can tell you just read David's post about flying. LOL. Perfect. We do tend to synch up well don't we, us life listers.
@Marion Williams-Bennett
Oh honey, have you tried Lush? To die for products! Yes, you shall. Indulge!
@Gary Gauthier
Here, here! And smart advice too.
@Anonymous
LOL. Bring some cupcakes back for us!
Here here for diet coke and chocolate! I'm not going to turn down cupcakes though:)
I'm going to take time to read a whole book just for me this weeekend :-)
Wonderful luxury commitment to yourself! I would like to get started w/my early morning roller blading again. Not only does it make me feel better physically, but it helps me write by keeping my mind clear. :)
@Jessie Humphries
Excellent choices. And who would turn down a cupcake?
@Sarah Pearson
I LOVE this indulgence. My honey and I went hiking on sunday and we brought along our books and camped out in the woods for a bit just reading outside. Delightful! And have you read my post where I declared men who read are sexy? It's so true.
There are things I find that I can't just enjoy unless I feel I've accomplished something, and those are the things I reward myself with. Examples might be a bath in the evening with yummy bath salts, working on my scrapbooks/photo albums, or getting a computer game for myself (I like the time management games). Even relaxing into a movie in the evening feels better if I EARNED it.
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