As women, I believe we often are so compelled to take care of everyone and everything else that we let ourselves fall to the bottom of the totem pole of priorities. I, first hand experienced this, this past year. I got overstressed and overwhelmed with trying to balance my family and my growing business; when I felt this pressure of treading water, it was easier to just stop taking care of myself. I let everyone else's needs super seed my own. Then a funny thing started to happen. My own health, mindset and energy started to wane, until I was drowning instead of staying a float. I was getting sick on family vacations, spending time in bed instead of being present with my family, my self-doubt started to creep in, and self-consciousness started to flood my thoughts and my energies with my employees and you (my community) weren't the same and felt more forced. By not taking care of myself, I lost energy and vitality. This energy was being sucked out of me like a vacuum instead of overflowing into my loved ones and this amazing community of women.
I realized all of this in the fall, after being sick on our first ever trip to Disney World and not being able to enjoy that experience fully, I realized what I was doing to myself. You see, we are the 'Golden Goose' (if you are familiar with the fairy tale), if we look after the Golden Goose - they will continue to create beautiful golden eggs, but if we don't... The Goose stops laying. I woke up to the fact that if I want to create a life of energy and vitality, I need to take care of the Golden Goose, me. I created a reminder on my bulletin board that my #1 priority is to protect the Golden Goose:
So for the past couple of months, I took time to reflect on what that looks, and how I'm going to create the energy and vitality in my life again. I realized I needed a break from social posting, so I took one. I realized that a 30 minute 'sweat sess' each morning helps my overwhelm and patience - so I recommitted to doing a brief work out at the start of my day before I opened my emails. I also self-reflected on what I was putting into my body. I was choosing quick over healthy, but I am recommitting to take a few extra minutes to do the things that will help find the energy again. For this, I decided that 2023 my new hobby will be trying a new healthy recipe each week. I warned my family they might be in for some surprises! lol.
I was recently reminded that in a airplane, they tell you to put the oxygen mask on first - before others or your children. The parallel being that even in day to day life, in order to outpour the most love and support for others, our oxygen masks need to be on and secured. If any part of this resonates with you, please know that you are not alone. We are all humans and none of us are perfect. But please take a moment to ask yourself, what is it that you need to protect your Golden Goose? What is it that would help your have the energy to overflow energy and love to others instead of it draining you?
I'd like to share these things with you, as they have been helpful for me on my life-long health journey.
1) Book "Healthy As F*ck" by Oonagh Duncan I love her playful, fun and unjudgemental approach.
2) My pinterest board called 'Healthy Recipes' - these are some lovely recipes a mix of things I've tried and loved or want to try!
3) Our very Brand Ambassador Laura Melgar's Pilates YouTube Channel! Laura offers Pilates exercises for women at any stage in their fitness journey.
4) Podcasts! One of my fave's is Impact Theory with Tom Bilyeu and the Mindset Mentor with Rob Dial.
Please share in the comments your resources, fave books, recipes and workout programs so that we can learn/share from each other!
Here's to taking care of us, so we can overflow with energy and vitality to those around us.
XO,
Stacey
