Recharge the Batteries - Be a 7 Up Dot

Today I did something for me. I took an all day Photoshop class.  I left my house at 8:40 am, dropped off the kids and headed to adult only heaven where I sat with over 300 of my closest strangers and enjoyed adult words and knowledge.  It was bliss.  Not only did I spend an entire day doing something to educate myself, I also spent the day recharging my batteries.

Did I mention I am in heaven?

After yesterday's post about taking care of ourselves I decided to do just that.  I want to mention that when my friends and family saw that post they laughed at me.  One friend declared she was going to cry "hypocrite" until I said it myself.  I am not very good at talking care of myself.  In fact, I am horrible.  Today I had the chance to fill my well. Yippee for me!

So how do we go about taking care of ourselves on a regular basis?  Most of us don't have the chance to run away from our lives like I did so how do we fit "me time" into our lives without causing ourselves more stress?  I don't know about you, but if I have to add one more thing to my list I will scream.  "Me Time" is not worth loosing my sanity.

I suggest that "me time" is not as hard to find as we may think.  It is a little bit like the 7 Up dots of 1980's commercials.  (I have just dated myself, but do you remember how the red dots on the 7 Up cans would get up off the cans and play when no one was looking?)  My "me time" has a lot of fun when no one is looking. I read magazines when I eat breakfast.  I check my facebook page when I come up the hall to fold laundry.  I call my friends when I am doing housework.  When no one is watching I am recharging.

Some people may call recharging evil things like "being lazy" or "goofing off."  I think of it as recess for the adults.  I don't know a teacher alive who doesn't want their class to run around, play, explore and come back recharged and ready to go.  I am ready to go after "me time."  I will even go as far as saying I look forward to my regular routine after "me time."  (I can hear my family laughing.  You can laugh, just don't hurt yourselves.  I am working on it.)

So find a way to recharge, to renew and to regress.  (I threw that last one in for those of us young at heart who may want to go to a park and swing.) Fit it into your life in little ways and don't be afraid to have others look at you strangely.  I hope you are inspired.  I may have even convinced myself to stick with it.