The Importance of Self Care: A Changed Life

Last February, as many of you who have been reading my blog know, I did a program called the 21 Day Fix.  I loved it!  {You can read about my story/experience here}.  I loved that I saw changes in 3 short weeks, of course, but more importantly, I love what I learned and how I felt about myself afterwards.  Prior to the Fix, I discovered I had wheat and dairy intolerances.  I had started clean eating a little bit, when I felt like it, but that was pretty much it.  {If I felt like a Blizzard, let's just say the DQ won over clean eating!}  My portions were off, I was an emotional/stress eater, I didn't really exercise {truth be told, I went to the gym for the childcare.  EEK!}  I didn't know how to take care of myself.  In any capacity, really.  Not physically, certainly not emotionally.  I was kind of a hot mess who did a good job of covering it up.  {Just bein' real here, folks!}

However, doing the Fix, I did learn how to clean eat consistently.  I did learn portion control, I learned how to exercise effectively.   By golly, I think I may have also broken my Blizzard addiction!  And, most importantly, I learned how to care for myself.  I learned what I need to be the best Melissa I can be. Ya know who reaps those benefits?  Everyone around me.  Chad, Lauren, Landon and those I interact with on a daily basis.  Have you heard the term "hangry?"  I'm pretty sure prior to the Fix, I was hangry all the time.  I didn't know how to fuel my body, I didn't know I should eat every 3-4 hours to keep my blood sugar stable, I didn't know sugar made me irritable, I didn't know how to be energetic because I was dragging ALL.THE.TIME. from all the JUNK I ate.  I didn't know my food was making me tired, instead of fueling me like it should if I ate the right things.  I didn't know any of that.  I just thought that is how life was and how it had to be now that I had kids.  

Ya know what?  That is a LIE.  A big fat lie!  You don't have to feel run down, lethargic, tired, frustrated, hangry, irritable and annoyed all the time.  You don't!  So, stop it!  See, taking care of myself made me feel better from the inside out.  I had a birthday recently and I'm shocked to say I feel better now at this age than I did in my prime college years!  I never would have guessed that this was possible. There are so many things I'm learning and ways I'm growing and changing and I love it!

When we lived in IL, Chad traveled for work {this was several years ago before I knew about clean eating, wheat/dairy issues and I pretty much lived off of pop, sugar, big pretzels with cheese {yup, daily lunch for 4+ years - GROSS!}, and any other processed crap food I could pummel in my mouth with 2 small kids and a traveling husband.  {Not exactly my prime, ok?}  I was crabby.  I was angry. I was a mean mom.  As much as I hate to say it, I was.  I remember specifically, Lauren waking up too early one morning when Chad was traveling.  I had just gotten up myself, headed downstairs for my morning cup of joe and to have my quiet time when she came downstairs.  I was so angry.  How dare she get up in the middle of MY time?  Why did she have to get up early this day?  I needed something for myself and I didn't get it because she woke up too early.  {See where I was at?  Yah, not good}.  I remember driving her angrily to preschool and thinking "I just need something for myself.  I need to be able to care for myself since I have to take care of my kids.  How do I do that?"  I was clueless, lost, frustrated.  I knew what I needed, but I didn't know how to achieve it.  I felt stuck.  {And, if you know me well, you know I don't get along well with feeling/being stuck.  It doesn't work for me.}

Fast forward to now.  Here we are, 4-5 years later and Chad is traveling again.  {In fact, tonight as I write this.}  But, I'm not that angry mom anymore.  I am able to care well for my kids now because I know how to care for myself.  I know what I need to do to be the best Melissa I can be.  Not just for me, but for my family.  I am a new person.  {There have been some significant spiritual changes that have taken place as well, that are certainly a part of this as well.  I'm not discounting those at all.  I just now know what I need to do to take care of myself.}  I am now unstuck.  I am free.  And, it feels good.

Friends, if you are reading this and you relate or understand where I was at, let me help you! You don't have to do the 21 Day Fix like I did, maybe there is something else you need.  Just let me tell you that your life doesn't have to be that way either.  It shouldn't be that way. Don't keep living like that if you don't have to.  I am living a changed life today and it is awesome. I want that for you too.  You ARE worth it!