Me Time: Indulgence or Refueling

by April Welch on October 25th, 2010 | No Comments »

If I handed you 4 hours and said, "These are yours to do what you want with them," what would you do?

I'm always amazed at the answers I get back from this question. Women tend to respond with, "I'd get caught up on chores" while men tend to lean toward the "I'd go fishing with the guys." Kiddos tend to be the most honest: "I'd go play with my friends!"

Looking back over the month, I've shared tips for Dating Your Kids, Dating Your Partner and of course Dating Your Girlfriends. Now it's time to take a look in the mirror.

Let me get one thing straight though, dating yourself does not mean you have to be alone! It simply means you are honoring that child within that gets shushed on a daily basis.

Favorite "Me" Dates

Here are some of my personal favorite ways to spend "me" time:

Play a board game with the kids. Of course, I get to choose the game and I get to go first! The kids actually love it when I put on my kiddo hat!
Clear my DVR when I should be doing the dishes. This is usually accompanied by a cup of cocoa or glass of wine, depending on the time of day.
Order lunch on days I'm really busy behind the computer. I even invite my husband sometimes!
Baking something my taste buds will love and then insisting I don't have to share, of course I always do!
And my latest hobby? Angry Birds on my Droid. Yes, it's a sickness I've chosen to have!

The point to this exercise isn't to shove one more thing on your to-do list. Quite the contrary. Dating yourself is about sneaking off the radar and refueling and connecting with the things that make you giggle or at the very least smile at yourself.

Knowing why you're focusing your time on these activities is the best way to ensure they happen.

I've brought so many clients to tears by simply asking, "What do you do for yourself?" Now I make it part of my practice to help them identify the answer to that simple question and implement the solution.