It’s important to give time and space to yourself, too

As parents, partners, friends and caregivers, many of us give A LOT of our time and space to others. That’s not a bad thing in itself, and it can be extremely rewarding and connecting for everyone involved. It gets tricky when we don’t leave room for our own needs, our own time to rest, our own space. When we tend to focus on others’ needs and ignore our own, we end up exhausted, grumpy and resentful.

When I start giving up my needs for others, I can feel it in my body - my head gets fuzzy, I feel tightness in my hands and between my brow (probably because I’m starting to make grumpy faces!). I can feel myself turning inward - my body is sending me a message. When I’m aware this is happening I step back and reevaluate where I need to make time for myself. Sometimes I don’t catch it until I’m in full exhaustion mode and that’s ok - I try and be compassionate with myself, not to shame myself, and make adjustments to take care of myself and my needs.

Giving ourselves what we give others is important for our well-being and gives us more space to be present for others when they do need us.

What is one small thing you can do to give yourself what you need today?

Reach out to set up a coaching session with me if you would like guidance on taking time for yourself.