Self Care

I’ve been thinking a lot about self-care. Self-care doesn’t mean you are being selfish. It means that you love yourself enough to take care of yourself mentally, physically, and spiritually.

I made the decision last spring to start working on me, on the things I wish to be or need to do to make my personal, physical, and spiritual life better. It started when I decided to not work as a teacher’s aide (although I loved it). Every day I could feel myself getting more and more exhausted because I also had to make sure I was readily preparing for our 2023 international pageant and take time for my family, and our church.

With my business, though it’s such a positive thing, it is also mental and physical exhaustion like nothing I’ve ever done before. While I love every second of mentoring and helping others, like most of you all do I also let my physical and mental health take a back seat to it all.
I started standing up for myself yesterday through a situation that really hurt, and boy did it feel good to defend my honor. Just like many of you, I need to stop apologizing every time I can’t please someone or be every little thing they think I should be. God doesn’t intend for us to feel beaten down or be run over. I made the statement last night in a meeting that we need to stop apologizing for our brand or our own personal value. We all have value, and we need to stop treating ourselves like we are the next blue-light special on a returned clothing rack!

I encourage you today to take time for yourself, and I don’t mean just a day or two. Start setting goals for yourself, even if you can only take one baby step at a time. I’m realizing that the world will not stop turning just because I am not in control of something and that someone else can do the same job I can do, and I will have to be okay with them doing it differently than me.
Kudos to those of you who have to do things on your own. You are stronger than you think and “I. See. You.” “I. See. You.” was the theme of our Proverbs 31 family time conversation at our pageant this year. I’ve chosen to also look at myself in the mirror and say to myself “I. See. Me.” I encourage all of you to look in the mirror and see your own self-worth, too, and to start loving and caring for yourself again.

Pat Miller, International Director Pure International Pageants