Happy Mother’s Day! 
OK moms…what is the gift you are going to give to YOURSELF today?
You know – that special thing that doesn’t require action on the part of any of the other humans in your life?
How about you begin with the gift of self-compassion? Make a vow on this special day to love and treat yourself in the same way you love your best friend or your sister or some other amazing woman in your life.
From there you could throw in the gift of forgiveness.
Mother’s Day might be the perfect time to forgive someone in your life for something you are still holding on to in your past. Heck – maybe you can start with your own mother. PS – my mom has been gone for years and I still do this on the regular. Realizing that the other humans are imperfect and flawed allows us to see and forgive ourselves for the same thing.
Forgiveness is a gift you give yourself.
The other gift I love giving myself is the gift of a pause. Sounds pretty random but when you create the time to stop and just exist it’s like rebooting your computer.
I often will take pauses when I am writing…OK watch – I am going to do one right now…. did you see? OK so maybe not. hahaha
But waaaay too often we get a break in our day and we instinctively turn to our phone or our inbox. This is not a brain break!
Sit and experience what it is like to sit. Or go outside and stare at a tree (I do this all the time). Or if you can’t get outside, pull up one of those amazing landscape photos that pop up on your computer screen and just stare at it and try to not think of anything else. You could even try watching tv without doing anything else or eating by yourself while you gaze out the window. Creativity & clarity can happen when you take your brain out of gear – just try it!
Another favorite gift is the warm fuzzy I get when I remind myself that I am enough. Always have been. Always will be. (combine that with a nature moment and you have a double whammy)
My final suggestion comes from a gift I got for my birthday. (DID I MENTION I RECENTLY TURNED 60??)
One of my dear friends bought me a candle that says – Happy mind, happy life. And I love it.
Investing in yourself and the health of your mind is the gift that keeps on giving.
And if this all sounds like work as opposed to a gift, I can’t think of anyone else who is more deserving.
It’s your life – make it a great one!
xopam
