Taking Time...Making Time

Taking Time....

For many of us starting out, it is a foreign concept to "take time" for ourselves.  For taking care of ourselves.  For making sure our basic needs are getting met. 

I know when I began I that stab of "I don't have TIME for this" when I had to carefully and deliberately prepare my Lean and Green.  Then I had to take time to EAT it!  Then I had to take time to refill my water bottle...and drink it!  Then I had to take time to make sure I prepared my 5 Medifast meals on time and ate them on schedule.  I had to take time to make sure I didn't run out of food. 

As I continued to lose weight, I began to enjoy taking time to do these things.  What was, at first, a massive imposition of my time (which, I came to realize, wasn't MY time, I was assigning it to everyone else and leaving myself out of the equation), became a ritual of sorts.  A nurturing opportunity for ME.  I was, at long last, taking care of myself.

Then came exercise.  At first I would say I didn't have time for it.  After all, I was already doing all this other "stuff" to take care of me....

Well, no more.  I don't HAVE time, I MAKE time.  I make time for me, putting my own oxygen mask on so that I can be some earthly good to those God has placed in my path.  My family.  My friends. 

If I'm NOT taking care of me, there will be nothing left of me to truly take care of those God has also given me to take care of.  But note this:  God gave me ME also.  He gave me the gift of my body.  And it is as important to take care of the very FIRST thing He gave me to take care of....

Me.

Have a great weekend, y'all!