As parents, sometimes it seems we spend all of our time taking care of our family's needs. I don't know about you, but I've found all that "need" eventually makes me burn out if I don't make the effort to take care of myself too. It's certainly a lot harder to fill your little one's emotional needs if your own emotional bank account is on empty. Taking care of ourselves will make us better moms!
So it's time to focus more on us! Here are nine ideas on how moms like us can find that important time for themselves in Fort Myers - Fort Myers Beach.
1. Enjoy lunch with a friend
Whether you stay at home or work outside the home, lunch is a great time to meet a friend. It helps break up the day and gives you renewed energy to face the rest of your day. Try the Farmers Market Restaurant or Blu Sushi near downtown Fort Myers. Another cute option is The Gathering Place near Page Park.
2. Find your "people"
Join a parenting group on Facebook, get together with other parents from your child's school, or find a club or organization that matches your interests. Chat with other parents at the park and at other kids play places. You're almost guaranteed to find other moms that need some "mom friends."
3. Schedule a spa day
Relax, lie back, and feel your everyday concerns wash away with a spa day. Don't want to go anywhere? Take a hot bath at home, sprinkle some lavender essential oil in the bath water for a calming effect. Your newly energized self will thank you.
4. Spend time outdoors
In 1845, Henry David Thoreau wrote "Walden" while secluded in the woods of Massachusetts. More than 50 years later, many scientists agree that Thoreau's meditation on life and nature is spot on. Give nature a try; you won't regret it. Some of my favorite trails for a beautiful meditative walk are at the Slough Preserve, Lakes Park, and John Yarbrough Linear Park.
5. Try a new hobby or activity
It's easy to get bogged down with all of life's "busyness." Take a little time away and explore an activity or hobby you've always wanted to try. From individual hobbies like photography or quilting to group activities like paint nights, running, or cycling groups, there's something for everyone. You could even start volunteering somewhere that you're passionate about. For example, I'm passionate about dogs, and I volunteer for Cape Coral Animal Shelter. You could volunteer at a library, if you like books...a nursery, if you like plants...a school...there are so many options!
6. Plan a romantic date night
Enlist the help of grandparents or exchange date night babysitting with a friend. Have dinner at your favorite restaurant or somewhere romantic and fun, enjoy a movie or theater performance, or take a walk on the beach. Where you go doesn't matter, but having your partner along will make the night special.
7. Savor the solitude
Spending time alone is good for the soul. Read a book after the kids are in bed or at school, take a walk in your neighborhood alone, or go for a drive to nowhere special. Start writing in a journal. Draw a picture or sketch something. Do a crossword puzzle or word find. Or just sit on your lanai with a coffee (or wine) and stare outside. Don't feel like you always have to be doing something "productive."
8. Check the Fort Myers - FMB Macaroni KID Calendar
There are so many fun family-friendly events Fort Myers - Fort Myers Beach, many of which are also perfect to attend alone, with a friend, or with your partner. Take a few minutes out of your busy life and charge your emotional battery by doing something you enjoy — even if you don't take the kids!
Taking care of yourself is so important, and not something to be overlooked. I've found that taking care of myself helps make me happier and healthier -- which, in turn, makes me a better mom at the end of the day.
9. Get up and move
Focus on your physical well-being as well. Take a walk around the block with some good tunes playing on your headphones. Stretch, meditate, or do some yoga. Take a bike ride around your neighborhood. Do some yard work and tend to your garden. Exercise releases endorphins, which make you happy!
