Self-Care: The Key to Success in Work and Life

What do you think of when you hear the term, self-care?

Manicures and pedicures? Spa treatments like hot stone massages and seaweed facials?

I used to struggle with that term, thinking that I didn’t have time for all that fluff.

My kids were at home and I owned my own business, working evenings and weekends mostly, so I could be with them during the day. When the heck would I have time to get a massage? Besides, I ate healthy foods and worked out regularly, so I conned myself into thinking I was different and didn’t need those things.

I did learn over time that an hour away here and there was just what I needed to regroup and relax, so I could be a better mom for them and a happier me. To this day, getting a pedicure is something I really look forward to and don’t take for granted. It is something I schedule on a regular basis.

I still eat healthy (just finished a detox) and exercise on a regular basis and feel pretty good about how I take care of myself.

My “outside” self.

You see, all those things take care of the physical and while you could argue that a good massage takes care of the emotional as well (I’m right there with ya!), it’s still mostly about the outside – what people see.

We hear all about work/life balance and how to achieve it. Personally, I don’t believe anything in life is ever balanced. That means it’s standing still, stagnant. The world is made of always-moving molecules, so balance is never achieved.

I believe in work/life fusion – the mixing of the two together creating a wonderful blend of both that works for each individual.

But I digress.

What about the “inside self”?

When do you stop and take care of what’s going on with your inner self? How do you know what voice to listen to when searching for a solution to a problem?

That’s the piece of self-care that I’m super passionate about. This inner wise self needs to be uncovered and listened to much more often.

So how do you do that?

Get still.

Take time to be. Listen to what she wants you to know.

In our noisy world of social media, email inboxes, over-scheduled kids and our own “shoulds”, it can seem next to impossible to accomplish this.

I used to think that too, until I decided I needed to unplug and get away.

So I went on a retreat.

That long weekend away was truly life changing for me. I discovered that removing myself from the day-to-day business of work and life offered me the space I needed to look at things a bit differently and from a new viewpoint.

My creative juices were flowing. I made a list of ideas for programs, blogs and services. I looked at my family life and removed some obligations that weren’t serving us or in alignment with our values anymore.

I committed to my soul that I would pay more attention to what it needs and provide loving care on a regular basis.

I discovered the power of the peace.

To my surprise, I enjoyed a renewed passion for everything in my life – work included.

I felt energized and confident.

I felt like the me I used to be before I allowed “life” to run over me.

Would you like to feel this way, too?

I invite you to join me this October for The Exhale Retreat™.

There’s something magical about being with other successful women who have chosen to invest in their own personal development.

Being in Nature is a beautiful way of tuning out the distractions so you can tune in to your own wisdom. It keeps you grounded in the present, while allowing you to dream.

Being a witness for other women who are facing their own set of challenges and are willing to share their visions is not only powerful to experience, it gives you permission to do the same. Many lessons are learned in this way.

Simple yet powerful questions lead to discoveries and decisions. It’s amazing to watch women design their own experiences and outcomes during this weekend of insight and impact.

Self-care.

It’s the wonder drug that is guaranteed to cure what ails you – every time.

P.S. If this retreat is calling to you, I’d love to have you there! And if you know a woman who is in need of some TLC, invite her to join you. Registration is closing soon, so reserve your spot today! You owe it to yourself to take the best of care of the most important person in your life – you!