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As women one of the most important things we can remind ourselves is that we are not robots. It’s okay to pause, it’s okay to rest, it’s okay to be behind on your TBR list, it’s okay to take one class at a time, etc. I have had to learn that it’s okay to feed the children chicken nuggets and fries for dinner sometimes if I’d like every now and then (something that I have not always been comfortable with, not in a uppity way, just because I didn’t grow up eating like that. We grew up eating well put together meals. The women in my family cooked. I don’t know if I ever saw a nugget🤷🏽‍♀️). It’s okay to opt for something quick for breakfast like a bowl of cereal or a boiled egg, slice of toast, or piece of fruit.

I know we have so many goals and amazing things we want to achieve but it’s important to pace ourselves and take care of ourselves in the process. And without feeling guilty. Sometimes as women we can go so hard. So hard that it starts to show, and not just in our appearance, in our attitudes too. I have often been the kind of person that falls into the trap of all work no play. I can see how it can affects me. So busy trying to get things done that I get burned out.

When I look around my community I see women that seem and look so tired or just burned out. Sometimes when I look in the mirror I see a lady that looks burned out. A lady that’s exhausted but keeps going even when she should stop.

I once met a lady that went so hard in her teaching career and education that she shared with me how she near neglected herself and her health until retirement. She taught for years (30-40years) and she spent many late nights at the school where she taught. She shared with me how she had put on so much weight during her career. But, when I met her -although in her old age- she was in such a good place that she was teaching me step aerobics and trying to help me get on track with my physical health!

While we all have goals that we want to and WILL accomplish in due time, it is important to see about ourselves. It is important to both prioritize and set realistic expectations. If you have 10 children without a strong and dependable support system it may be unrealistic to try to finish 3 books a month all while trying to manage a household and keep yourself together. I always remind myself there will come a day where I will have ample amount of time to read.

When we don’t pace ourselves we may begin to age prematurely, pack on weight, and be stressed out. In our lives, if we didn’t take care of ourselves -both mentally and physically- what did we really accomplish? We are not machines.