#006: Pandemic Lessons Part 1
What a crazy eighteen months it’s been, hasn’t it? Of all the life lessons I could even imagine, lessons from a global pandemic was not one of them. Interestingly, lifestyle lessons became front and center. It motivated many of us to take better care of ourselves and prioritize our health. It made family time that much more precious. It inspired us to reevaluate job and career choices.
I personally had quite an eye opening revelation: I have spent decades rushing. Rushing in the shower. Rushing out the door in the morning. Rushing to do errands during my lunch hour. Rushing kids out the door for school or summer camp. Rushing around after school for sports and activities, homework, baths, dinner, making lunches, laundry, grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning up, you get the idea. Always in a rush.
At the very beginning of the pandemic I had to quarantine for two weeks. It was then that I got really good at online shopping. And I bought a whole bunch of personal care products.
At first it made me anxious to spend so much time in the shower with hair masques, and exfoliating products. But then, although I wasn’t leaving the house , I gradually started taking the time to dry and flat iron/curl my hair. I changed up my skincare routine and actually started letting products dry between layers.
That’s when I realized I was rushing through so much of my life. I always took the world’s shortest shower. I would run out the door in the morning, often with damp hair, and apply makeup as I drove to work.
It’s definitely a mom thing. Rushing is just what moms do.
But I’m here to tell you, adding a few minutes to your morning and evening routines for better selfcare will dramatically improve the quality of your life. Exfoliate before you shave your legs, and put a masque on your hair while you’re doing it. Use a good cleanser, and treat yourself to good serums and creams, and take the extra 60 seconds to use them. Take a few minutes to use a good body cream too. Even if adding these “luxuries” adds 10 minutes to your morning routine, you’ll be so surprised by how slowing down improves your energy, outlook, and actually boosts your self esteem.
So the next time you’re feeling stressed and pressed for time, stop and take note, are you rushing around? Will taking a deep breath and slowing down be the end of the world?
Chances are it won’t. So practice adding bits of time throughout your day to treat yourself with a little TLC. The quality of all we do is as if not more important than the speed with which we do it.
