All The Quotes

Self-care is creating a life you don’t have to escape from.

- a non introverted parent

People tag me in quotes, memes, and articles about self-care all. the. time. Sometimes I think they’re great, sometimes I roll my eyes. Some are actually harmful. Some are just annoying.

Yes, it would be fabulous to have a life that I don’t ever want to walk away from. Except that I have children. And I want to keep them… most of the time. I also have a husband that I love and want to keep… most of the time. And I have a business that I love and want to keep growing… most of the time.

But there are times when I want to say, “ A mom is no one”.

There are times when I want to watch Chris Evans and Idris Elba to fight over me (preferably in the rain).

There are times when I want everyone to just stop needing me - even if they are paying me.

I’m allowed to want to escape. Escape is healthy. It’s part of being human.

If we didn’t want to escape we’d have no art, no music, no stories, and a lot less creation. And whether my escape is a Netflix marathon, a bath, a book, an album, or a night in a hotel room - it is valid and is part of living a healthy life.

It’s not necessarily a symptom of a problem.

Hey mama, you don’t have to feel guilty about wanting to run away sometimes. Part of being human is wondering about the choices we didn’t make, dreaming about lottery wins or other outrageous changes to our circumstances, and needing a break sometimes.

If you’re looking at a quote, a meme, or some other bit of “inspiration” that makes you feel guilty, not enough, or like you’re somehow screwing this up then it was probably not meant for you. Inspiration should, you know, inspire.

Self-care is any action you take to care for yourself.

That may mean redesigning your life so that you love it more and more each day. That’s literally what I help moms to do. It may also mean escaping. Creating a life you can regularly take a break from can be part of creating a life that you love.

It’s both/and mamas.

B&th