When was the last time you took a whole day just for yourself?

I’m not talking about a day spent with friends, family or a partner. Or a day spent at home between house chores, social media and Netflix… What I am talking about is taking yourself on a delightful day-long date.

When was the last time you did that?

For some reason, the first reaction of my mind when I think about putting everything else on hold and taking a good chunk of time just for myself is not encouraging. My mind criticises and judges me for wanting ‘me time’ and tells me things like: ‘come on, you had a long weekend a month ago, do you really need an extra day for yourself so soon?’, ‘work hasn’t been so hectic lately, why would you take a day off for yourself’, or ‘if you keep taking days off you’ll miss opportunities and never achieve what you want’.

Discouraging, isn’t it?

What does your mind tell you when you are thinking of taking time for yourself? Feel free to share in the comments; I’m curious.

At different levels, we are all trapped in a never-ending routine. Feeling busy all the time but never reaching the end of our to-do list. We are constantly giving our time to others: our colleagues, our clients, our friends, our family, our partners, etc. And ‘me time’ comes last on the list of priorities.

Getting off this hamster wheel is scary. The hamster wheel is our comfort zone. But the reality is that the more we care for ourselves, the better we feel. The better we feel, the more everyone benefits from our energy and presence. It’s a win-win.

I’m an introvert, and regularly taking ‘me time’ allows me to recharge my social battery. When my social battery is recharged, I am more emphatic. I connect with people at a deeper level and create healthier relationships. On top of this, when I dedicate enough time to myself, I feel more motivated, productive, focused, energetic and creative. Not bad, eh?

So last week, I broke through the criticism and judgments of my own mind and decided to take time for myself. I signed up for a silent retreat and spent not one but three days in the forest doing yoga, meditation, breathwork, and more.

I cannot express how much I enjoyed it and how better I felt afterwards, physically and mentally.

Above is a picture of me meditating while being kissed by the sun.

But this isn’t about me. It’s about you! It’s time to take a break from the hamster wheel and gift yourself a day all to yourself (or more). It’s time to give yourself some well-deserved love. It’s time to treat yourself as the most important person in the world (because you are!).

So, when is the date? How will you treat yourself?

I invite you to block your calendar right now and write to me about it. I’ll keep you accountable.

Love. Simone