Me Time

I met with my therapist yesterday and one of the things we talked about was Me Time. We've been discussing this topic for a while and the fact that I never really focused on me very much during my marriage. I was busy taking care of kids, family, being a good friend and a wife. I kind of got lost in it all.

The thing about being divorced is that you suddenly are faced with a lot of alone time. If you're not used to it, then it can almost be something that you try and avoid because being alone can be painful. You start thinking a lot and then that can lead to self destructive thoughts and then you kind of spiral into this funky doom-like place.

The thing about therapy is that you work through a lot of your crap so that you're comfortable being by yourself, understanding who you are, and knowing how to turn negative thoughts into positive. A huge part of that work is learning how to take time for yourself, thus Me Time. She had found a cool weekly chart that had you check off when you were able to make time for yourself during the week. Kind of a reminder that you really need to do that throughout the day/week. Most of the ideas were simple ones, like reading a book, getting a coffee, taking a walk, for instance.

Because I am still learning how to have Me Time, I almost have to schedule it into my day and week. I went on a long walk with the dog this afternoon without my iPod so that I was in the moment of my surroundings and my thoughts. As no surprise, I came back refreshed and peaceful and feeling like I could handle the rest of my day. If you don't already do this, try it, you'll see.

To your new life...
Claire

Tags: | Divorce | Personal Time | Therapy