Take a Moment to Regroup

Growing up I remember people telling me that time flies but I never believed them; I thought I couldn't wait another MINUTE to be grown up and married with kids of my own. NEWS FLASH: I graduated high school 7 years ago, have been married for almost 4 years, a college graduate for 3 years, and had a baby 1 1/2 years ago. I think its safe to say that I believe them now.

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With spring, comes a whirlwind of activities. Get togethers are scheduled, gardens are started, after school functions are planned, spring cleaning lists are written; every one seems to wake up and remember there are other humans out there when they see the buds starting to show. After a long winter, its no wonder that we feel the need to get out and socialize, but I would caution you to not fill up your calendar too quickly. Remember to take time for yourself and your family. If your friends are what they say they are, then they will understand if you turn down the invitation to hang out here and there. Amidst busy schedules, it is very important for you to take time to regroup and focus in on the the things that really matter in your life. For me, that is my family and God.

I have really been trying hard to focus on my daughter lately; give her my full attention when we are home together. Too often I find myself on Facebook or Pinterest multiple times a day "just checking on something REAL QUICK". My daughter is happy kid and I think that she and I have a good relationship but I want to cherish the moments I have with her at this stage in life. Her world is so big right now and she is exploring everything she sees; I want to be right there with her rediscovering things all over again. It is a difficult task to entertain a toddler all day, I admit, but nobody ever said that parenting was easy. I have "to do" lists started all over the house, including my "to do" list for the specific day's tasks, but I am trying to retrain my brain to not focus my day on the lists. When I focus on my lists, neither I nor my daughter have a good day because I just get frustrated when she doesn't want to help me clean the bathroom or make 3 dozen tortillas for an hour  (C'mon, isn't that what every 1 1/2 year old kid wants to do with their mom?) and she gets frustrated because mommy is distracted and not playing with her. So for now, the lists will be written, but I will be writing in activities to do with my daughter too so that I'm not left checking Pinterest throughout the day for play ideas appropriate for her.

Apparently April is National Stress Awareness Month, with tomorrow being National Stress Awareness Day. (Anyone feeling stressed today? Hope you got your taxes filed in time!) So maybe tomorrow is the perfect day to start taking some time for yourself. Get some exercise and get those endorphins going, read a good book, take a long shower or bubble bath, play games with loved ones, or go get a massage. Review your planner and weed out the fluff that is just there because you felt bad about saying no. Make a point each day to go over your priorities so that you see your day in the right light. It is amazing how different a day can feel when you are focused on the things you care about. 

*For more info about National Stress Awareness Month/Day, check out http://stressawarenessmonth.com/. They also have a free e-book with ways to alleviate stress.