The hardest thing for us mothers to do is find time for ourselves. So when my regular schedule was gifted with a two-week break I was ecstatic! As it turned out, for one of those weeks, I would get to enjoy time at home while my kid was at daycare. A rare opportunity with our regular schedule.
Listen, we love our kids and families. We take care of them, we take care of our jobs, our parents, our employees and our homes. Rarely do we get awarded this opportunity. A window in time that is just for us. I mean I cannot tell you the last time I did something that was not cooking, cleaning, working, studying…
I looked forward to that week as soon as I learnt of the upcoming break. I racked my brain for the best answer to my question. “What am I going to do this week that is just for me?”
It might seem like a silly thing to most people, but to a mum it’s probably the hardest question we can ask ourselves, especially for us stay-at-home mums with zero help.
We think about the deep cleaning that awaits us. Sorting clothes that are too old, sorting out the toys, the storage areas, deep cleaning couches and carpets, fridges and freezers. In fact, there is often so much to do you would often find us paralysed from the fear of finding somewhere to start.
I thought long and hard about this one. The one thing I could do for myself that would not involve anyone or anything from my daily life was simple; walk. Walking for exercise, walking for mental health, walking as a form of escapism, whatever the reason was, I came to the conclusion that walking was the one thing I could do for myself, by myself and I would be the only one to reap the benefits of it.
The answer was so simple yet it solved many problems. I always complain about not having enough time or money for the gym. Walking is free and now I had the time, even if it was for an hour of my day.
I rarely have a moment alone with my thoughts where I wasn’t doing anything else. Yet here I was alone in the wild with my thoughts, choosing to think or simply brushing everything from my mind and completely immersing myself in nature.
Walking is such a simple thing but it could be a life-changing activity for all the mothers out there. It not only heals our bodies but improves our mental health by allowing us to break free from the routine and do something that is just for our benefit.