When kids are little they become your absolute focus. When they get older you become their chauffeur - running them around to activities, sports, friends, movies and parties.
Suddenly you have a job, you lose touch with the other mums you have hung around with and you realise that there is time to think about yourself and actually touch base with what is happening in your life, what makes you happy.
Sometimes and for some people this is an easy transition. For others, like me its harder.
Who am I?
What do I want to achieve?
Why is this a challenge?
Where do my children, my husband, my dog fit into it?
When is it going to happen?
How am I going to achieve it?
A big number birthday is coming up soon and it is kind of scary. Big like bigger than 40 and ending in a 0.
A month or so ago I looked at myself in the mirror and it sucked. There are wrinkles and saggy bits.
I realised that I had spent so much time focusing on everyone else, I had forgotten about me.
I took a long hard look at what was going on and how I could make changes for the better.
The first change I made was to get up earlier and take the dog for his walk. I set the alarm for 6:15am every week day. At first I would go downstairs and make a warm lemon drink and spend 15 minutes or so trying to psych myself into it, then I'd head out and walk for around 1/2 an hour. Now I just get up and go. I have also started to run 2 mornings a week - It's not pretty and it's not far, but it's a start.
Just this simple change has made a big difference to my day. And it gives me time to think and collect my thoughts before the chaos which is our life begins.
Barb
