Guest post by Jennifer Lier.
Is your life running you? … Meaning you never have time for the things you want to do or you always feel stressed, overworked and overscheduled? Well one tool that will help you to get of the merry-go-round of life is to start taking time for YOU.
What does taking time for YOU really mean and why should we do it?
The talk shows say it, the books write it, the preachers preach it, the motivational speakers tout it… but what is the real why? Yes, it’s better for your health, stress level and overall state of well-being, but I found an even deeper meaning. Taking time for you gives you the mental and spiritual energy to tackle your day with strength, stamina and groundedness. It allows you to stay deeply connected to YOU so you can handle all stressful situations and make smart choices for yourself. This process will even make you happier.
I’ll tell you why and how.
Years ago I heard a mother of nine children talk about how she keeps her sanity. She mentioned how she would wake up an hour before anyone in the house did to have her ME time. She said how healthy in mind, body and soul she became and the value it added to her life. She schedule her ME time in the morning so she never had to worry about NOT getting to it the rest of the day!
Her method was crazy to me as I was not a morning person at all. My pattern was to wait until everyone was in bed at night to do things I needed to get done. This pattern began to create negative repercussions for my health. I started staying up too late and get sucked into social media. If I wasn’t on my computer, I was using TV to unwind and eat late night snacks. I usually woke up groggy and feeling unrested because I went to bed too late and with undigested food in my stomach. I was constantly fatigued and I didn’t know how to change it. As you know, humans typically don’t change until they have to. I was burning the candle at both ends and feeling like I was going to implode. Now it was time to change.
After evaluating my non-effective daily routines, my holistic doctor told me to slow down and start re-evaluating what I was letting INTO my life. He asked why was I letting my life run me. I told him with kids and work plus extra responsibilities, my days were over-booked! He said those magic words - You need to have some time for YOU. Go to bed earlier and rise at 5am. Cut down on social media and TV and use those times to get your busy work done. Begin to discern what has a place in your life and what doesn’t. Start saving time like you would money. Use that time you saved to awake earlier in the morning to balance and feed your mind consciously. Go to bed between 9 and 10pm and rise before the sun. Take time at that moment to reflect, write in a gratitude journal, pray or meditate, stretch or exercise – whatever brings peace to your heart. Make yourself a priority so you can be more effective in your life toward others.
To change my daily habits was a challenge at first and I have to say they didn’t change overnight. In the beginning, I took a little time for myself each morning and started loving it so much I wanted more! Now I make sure I get everything done at night so I can get to bed early and rise before everyone else.
At this point, my morning routine starts at 5 or 6am before the kids wake up. The beautiful silence and peace I experience is because there is no one else around. No TV, no husband and no distractions. The city is still sleeping and this is my time to have a conversation with myself. The more I do it, the more peace I feel. I create, read, pray, meditate, exercise, have coffee and listen to the silence, work out problems, write in a journal, anything… and most of all I feel free. The more at peace I feel, the happier I am and the easier it is to help and assist everyone else because I am on a full tank! No more masking the empty tank with coffee, energy drinks and eating too much food because I am on a full tank already.
How does this process help the rest of your day?
It helps by giving your mind room to expand. It grounds you for the rest of your day because you’ve already been filled. You know the old rules “pay yourself first, then everyone else” and “put your mask on before assisting someone else?” Well, this is the same principle. You are taking care of you so you can take care of everyone else. No one can fill you but you. Imagine, if every morning you do this for yourself, what you would be capable of handling throughout the day? You’d be armed with such a loving and abundant space that nothing could shake you! People will start being more attracted to you; bosses and colleagues will start asking you what’s different in your life. The best part is, you will instinctively start treating yourself better throughout the day. You will start weeding things out of your life that don’t matter. As you know, life is a process and a journey. Some of us have become human beings that have turned into human “doings.” We must get back to reconnecting to our spirit. Our life depends on it.
Try it and see what happens ;-)
About Jennifer:
At nineteen, Jennifer Joseph Lier arrived on the world famous stages of her hometown, Las Vegas, performing with a popular lounge band. After winning the title of Miss Nevada 1995 and receiving the talent award at Miss America, she went on to headline many shows around the world, including Legends in Concert, and the world famous, Follies Bergere. Jennifer received the rarely given standing ovation on Showtime at the famous Apollo Theatre in Harlem, New York. Exhibiting excellence in a competitive environment, she became a finalist in the reality show "The Entertainer, Starring Wayne Newton" on E! Entertainment, then took the ball and ran developing and performing her self-titled one woman show as well as touring with Wayne Newton and the legendary Don Rickles for over 2 years.
With 20 years of international performing experience and interview expertise, Jennifer Joseph is a highly sought after vocalist and coach. Currently, she is the headlining vocalist in the high energy "Show in the Sky" at the Rio Hotel and Casino, in Las Vegas. Jennifer has gained popularity as a speaker, especially with women’s organizations. She has a deep passion for coaching young women and assisting them to prepare themselves for the world today and live the life they dream. Married with 2 children, Jennifer is also an author working on her second book based on her strategies to an extraordinary life due out at the end of the year.
Transforming her life by losing 100 pounds, and breaking out of her adolescent introverted shell to becoming Miss Nevada and traveling the world as a headline performer, Jennifer knows what it takes to overcome adversity. From a shy, unmotivated, overweight teenager to an illustrious career in the entertainment industry and living the life of her dreams, Jennifer willingly shares her success strategies on how to live an extraordinary life with her mesmerizing delivery of warmth and compassion.