"Honey, you need to take care of yourself"
This is something I have heard all my adult life to which I often shook my head and said "Oh yes, I know, I promise I am" but secretly screamed to myself..."HOW????
Eating ice cream out of the container at night is really the only way I know how to make myself happy right now."
The worst part...when life got really REALLY messy, it got worse. Not only did I suffer, but those who loved me the most did to. On days when I couldn't stand myself, I am sure no one around me could stand me either.
At least I started to see it and admitted that "Sometimes I am not ok", but no one hands you a road map to self care.
I LONGED to learn how to take care of myself. Once I did start to feel better and passionate about things in life again and started to attempt to take care of myself something BIG popped up.... I always had this terrible feeling that I didn't deserve it.
That last sentence took a long time for me to admit. Why didn't I deserve it? My mind always told me "you can't spend the money on yourself you have debt to pay off", "you are a single mother, you don't have time for such time luxuries that other moms get" and a slew of other falsehoods about myself and others around me that drained me and isolated me.
Once I figured that out, I filled my night stand with books to remind myself that I am worthy of that love and time but I wasn't sure the HOW of it all yet.
So this year, Jessica Turner had a pre-release launch for her book "The Fringe Hours". I jumped at the chance to be a part of it not only because I have followed her blog, The Mom Creative, for years but she seemed really happy. Like JOYFUL all the time. She was honest that life was hard to balance, but she had a JOY to her that as someone who never met her in real life could see through my laptop screen.
THAT really had me scratching my head.
Enter her book and my chance to get an advanced copy to read.
Guess what it is? A ROAD MAP!
Yep..the one I was searching for and had no idea how to find.
AND that joy she has?
She's really happy.
Why?
Because she makes time for things that matter to her and MAKE HER HAPPY and figures a way to MAKE it happen, no matter what.
Groundbreaking right?
No seriously, that "Honey, take care of yourself" you get from your mom or whoever? This book literally allows you to figure out what that means for you and how to do it.
Oh, and that nagging voice I heard in my head all the time, judging me and other's around me....come to find out I am not alone. And that voice needs to be shut down.
The one thing that really stuck with me after reading this book was how much time I DO have. I have been wasting it not only in literal hours doing other things that don't make me happy but IN MY THINKING. That was the big take away for me from reading this book.
It's a MUST HAVE for any women in your life who needs not only the road map guidance for discovering her passions in life, but also gives her a place to rest in grace.
Making time for yourself is not an optional thing for women...it's a requirement for a joyful life. The other great thing the book points out is self care isn't about alone time, it's community, family time etc. It's about being intentional in spending your time in ways that make you happy, daily.
Just realizing and working on that goal is enough to change your life.
I have already seen that adding up all those "fringe hours" I have carved out for myself daily, GUILT FREE, have changed my attitude and how I am living my life.
I hope you pick up a copy and find your fringe hours to uncover the joy in your life too :)
This book officially releases Feb. 17 and can be ordered from Dayspring where there is a full product line or on Amazon.
#fringehours
