LOVING OURSELVES When my children were little, we had this ritual. After school on Friday, I took them to the park. I watched Elena strung those monkey rings like a pro. Laura climbed up the slides when I was not looking. Alex played quietly in the sand, digging tunnels and roads. We ate out and, once back home, they hit the tub. Because we traveled a lot, the kids had quite the collection of little shampoo bottles and conditioners. I added colorants to them. So, while I shampooed their hair, I watched them mix potion after potion of ‘magical’ colors. It was all in the mix I was told. Squeaked and clean, in their PJs, the kids hopped onto my bed with the dog and watched a Disney movie eating popcorn. A lot of the time, my eyes closed, missing complete scenes of the movie. I was so tired. The kids poked me awake and, smiling faintly, I kept watching, wondering when I could really close my eyes. Before I knew it, the sun rose the next day and I was more tired than ever. My kids were my life. I lived through them and for them. I gave them the attention I did not have as a kid. I bathed them, fed them, read them stories. I played with them at the park. I put them in swimming, pottery, ballet… even though I was so damn tired most of the time. Most days, I went to bed exhausted wondering who will ever be there for me. I had no balance. I had not learned to be there for me. I believed I could feel good enough if I pleased others. I believed I could feel worthy if I gave others what I deeply wanted for myself. Crazy, isn’t it? To believe anyone or anything could fill that deep emotional hole inside of me? It took me a long, long time to realize that I was the only one with the power to fill that hole, to make me happy, to put a twinkle in my eye. As I fill my own emotional hole outside of others, I am quite rested. I do what I love and what makes me happy. I say no easily. Guess what? The twinkle in my eyes is coming back. I laugh more and, most importantly, am more present in what I do. Which is opening my heart to wonder and deep fulfillment. Funny how it works. What are you doing today to put a twinkle in your eyes outside of pleasing others? @DovBaron #authentic #speaker #academy for #leadership asaleadership
Posted on: Sat, 27 Dec 2014 19:36:37 +0000
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