You have probably heard the expression, “You need to fill your cup” which is a metaphor for taking care of yourself first, before everyone else. Unfortunately, a woman’s default button is first taking care of everyone and everything before putting herself first. And, when a woman does put herself first it may be squeezed in during the day or evening after everyone else is getting their needs met. I know some women who can’t even get to the gym or a yoga class till 8:00pm, long after they had gotten the family off to school or work, got themselves off to work, worked all day, hit the grocery store, made dinner, did the dishes, put the kids to bed then went to the gym: at the time they should be relaxing and pouring themselves into bed. That 45 minutes of working out, helped fill their cup. BUT THAT IS NOT ENOUGH!

Women are often irritable, cranky, angry and generally unhappy because they do not put themselves first for an extended amount of time. This could mean an entire day to themselves, or a weekend or a week or Heaven forbid two weeks! And yet, I can bet that the men in their lives regularly go golfing, hunting, hiking, fishing, or even travel to beautiful locations for a few days or a week for work, which is often combined with plenty of fun and no family to take care of since you know who is taking care of the family back home.

I guarantee when you commit to your own well being and mental health by filling your cup-making plans for you to exit stage left and enjoy something that is just yours, that you are not sharing with anyone who you also feel the need to take care of.  Commit to at least twice a year, or once every month or SOMETHING and make a plan to go do what you love and leave all the rest to all those other adults in your life who can handle everything you do (well, they won’t do it as well as you do but that is ok, everyone will survive!) So, plan, commit and go! Everyone in your life will be better off because you took care of just you.