Taking Chances

     This weekend, I had the pleasure of attending my brother's wedding.  I am very happy for him and absolutely love my new sister-in-law and niece.  But all of this got me thinking about how important it is to  take chances in your life.
     Choosing to get married is definitely taking a chance. But choosing to do so a 2nd time around, means that following your heart is what's most important to you.  You already have been through the good times and the bad.  You know what could happen.  But you also know what is right for you and you chose to go for it!
     This is true in all areas of your life.  If you stay right where you are, you might feel safe because you know what to expect everyday.  But you have absolutely no idea how good it can be around the next bend.  It's a scary feeling, not knowing what to expect.  I've been there, I know.  I have been divorced.  I decided to take a chance on a dating website and found the most wonderful guy in the world.  Several years ago, I also made the decision to go back to college and now have a new career path to follow.
    For those of you that have known me for many years, you know how scared the younger me was to take any chances.  A younger coworker just asked me the other day if I had any advice for her. (She had just turned 25, I had just celebrated the 20something anniversary of that birthday!).  Among a few other nuggets of wisdom, I highly recommended taking chances in life and just enjoy it!

Permission to play hooky!

     Thank you very much for giving me a little extra time to take care of myself!  I needed that.  In today's rush, rush, rush society, I think that we sometimes forget exactly how to slow down and take care of ourselves. Now, I know right at this moment, you are probably laughing at me and saying that you could never forget how to do that.  Am I right?!
     But if that is the case, why do we have so many magazine articles telling us how to do just this.  I dare you to open up your Oprah magazine or Woman's Day and look for articles on 1) how to say "no" to others and take time for yourself,  2) tips on how to get more relaxed, etc.
     If you had a whole day to yourself and no immediate deadlines to meet, what would you do with your day?  Catch up on your favorite book, spend the day with a friend, doing absolutely nothing?  When is the last time that any of you have taken a day like this?
     Go ahead...I give you permission to take care of you!  I know at first, you might go through withdrawals.  You curl up on the couch to read or watch TV, and you see that your coffee table has crumbs, dust and water rings.  Next thing you know, you are heading out to the kitchen to get something to clean it!  If a whole day would throw you into shock, just shoot for a whole hour.  If that coffee table was dirty for the last 3 days, then another hour or two is not going to hurt!
     If you don't take care of yourself, then who will do it for you?  What will you do with your day? Drop me a note and tell me how you take care of yourself.  I would love to hear from you!

Taking Time for Yourself

 Have you ever had one of those days?  The kind where you are just glad that you can find a few minutes for yourself here and there, because you really need them?  It started out great...gotta spend some time with hubby, taking him out for a birthday meal.  But as the day went on, just started to feel a little more like a cold was coming on.  So, tonight's post is short and sweet, but it is a lesson that many of us forget.  Remember to take time for yourself!! So, for the next day or so, I will be babying myself...watching a few taped shows, reading my book, etc.

So, I may get on here tomorrow, but I may also just take some medicine and curl up on the couch.  Hard to say at this moment...But I am definitely going to take some time for myself! You do the same!  We can compare notes in a few days.  Enjoy your time!!