1..2..3…Time Out!

October 20, 2009 by Tia · 13 Comments
Filed under: Inspired Action, Intention, Life, courage

Spoiler Alert!

Have you seen Penelope?

It’s the story of a blue blooded girl who is born cursed – with the nose of a pig.

The only way to get rid of that curse is to find true love with “one of her own kind”. Which the family takes to mean a young man from the same strata of society.

Many suitors come and go as they realise no amount of money is worth marrying such an ugly, pig faced girl.

Poor little thing.

(She so desperately wants to be normal.)

Then one day, she runs away from home. Has a few adventures and comes back home to get married to a guy who wants that money. And soon comes to a Very Important Conclusion, one that changes her life and everything as she knows it.

Right after she runs away from her almost- wedding saying “I like myself the way I am,” when she stops trying to get rid of the curse (what you resist persists!) and declares that she loves herself pig snout and all (acknowledges her reality), something happens.

Her pig snout is magically replaced with a cute little nose.

A Miracle! How could this be! Penelope realises after all these years, that she had the power to change herself all along. She just had to love herself first ..

She didn’t know that though. Didn’t believe in herself. How could she, when no one else did? (well she could, but that’s a different story!)

Years spent waiting for her true love to come and rescue her, when all she needed was to love and rescue herself.

How many of us are like her, I wonder? Waiting for someone else (our partner, parents, kids, boss, friends) to make us happy, make it all better or make it all go away?

Truly, self love is the biggest love of all. I don’t mean that in a selfish, look out for yourself all the time kinda way, I mean it in the ”Love yourself so you can love others and let them love you” kinda way. Then again, I have a feeling you know exactly what I mean.

Fyi, A vital component of self love is knowing when to take time out. Consistently.

You are NOT selfish for cancelling all your appointments, backing out of commitments, taking yourself away for a day or two, saying NO or for wanting to take care of yourself in the best way for you.

Remember, we change what’s on the outside by changing what’s on the inside. And for that, sometimes, we all need a little time out.

It’s scary no doubt. With all the people who depend on you – who might think you are being irresponsible or selfish if you put yourself ahead of their needs. Ask yourself, don’t you deserve it too?

Well, I do. And I am.

At midnight tonight, I am turning off my computer and going offline till Friday. I may even stretch it to the weekend but 2 days is the minimum I am giving to myself.

Well Tia, you probably don’t have much going on then, you say?

Au contraire, this month has been the busiest, biggest, craziest month I have had in terms of commitments, new projects, writing, various challenges, assignments and what have you.

So much so that I am nervous about being out of touch on email, twitter, facebook, with clients, and the gazillion things I have to do!

But I know this one thing for sure – focusing on externals when the internal hasn’t caught up paves the path for overwhelment, failure to launch and giving up.

If you listen closely to your intuition and all the signs around you, you will learn to trust (as I am), that this can only be good. To share your gifts with the world, you first need to share them with yourself.

So while I honour myself with extreme self care and love, connect with nature and myself, walk, read, journal and surprise myself for the next 2 days, I invite you to do something for yourself too.

Today, do one thing purely for YOU.

You are the most important person in your and your people`s lives and to be your best, you simply must treat yourself as someone worthy and precious of that.

Go buy your favourite magazine, sip a latte with a friend, go for a drive, buy yourself flowers, grab a beer, take a nap.

Me, I’m outta here like a fat kid on cake, like a bear on honey, like a dress on prom night. Until the weekend, adios and much love to you guys and gals!

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Ps: What are some of YOUR favourite ways of looking after yourself and taking Time Out? Please share them with us so we can all learn from each other, thanks in advance and see you on the flip side. Really looking forward to reading your comments when I get back