How this all started
We joined the Longmont Rec in December and I was immediately drawn to a Saturday morning Yoga class. It was the perfect time on a Saturday to sleep in a little but not too long. When I arrived, the class was completely full but everyone seemed content with that. I slid my mat in between two regulars, grabbed a block and got settled. As we started our stretches and warm up, the instructor started to let us know her philosophy. The one thing that really stuck with me was that it was our hour to be selfish. It was time to stop thinking about what are families were asking of us, what projects were due at work, and how much house cleaning needed to be done. The hour of yoga was meant for us to think about ourselves. The instructor told us to find our intentions for our hour, what we wanted to work on. Concentrate on our breath and allow ourselves to be selfish.
Now I hear it all the time
I have now attended the class a handful of times and every week the instructor tells us the same thing. I have really enjoyed the opportunity to spend time working on myself. What I have realized though is that this idea of being selfish needs spill over to all of my workouts. While it is fun to work out with the Husband, I need to make sure that I am hitting my burn and doing the workout my body needs. The Husband and I have started planning our workouts ahead of time so that we each have expectations of what our week will look like. I have also realized that this being selfish mentality needs to also fit into other places in my life. While it is important to consider the other people in my life that rely on me, I need to also remember that I can’t burn myself out. There are going to be times that I need say no or just go to bed early. I might need to step away from the computer and take a walk or I might have to drive myself to the gym so that I can stay a bit longer. I need to make sure that I come first.
How to find the balance
While it is all well and good to be selfish, I can’t be that way all the time. I think this is where the planning comes into play. While our schedules always end up being a bit flexible, we try our hardest to plan our meals and workouts so that both the Husband and I get what we need. We have also gotten better at communicating other engagements and responsibilities so that there are no surprises. We know when there are big meetings or late appointments so that we can accommodate each other. The key for our success is making sure that we each know what the other needs and each other’s goals so that we can both be successful. We have to help each other make time to be selfish. Whether that be the Husband working out at a different location so I can hit up a great Yoga class or me getting up early so that he can go to the spin class he likes, we need to help each other to make it work!
When do you make time for you? When do you get to be selfish?
Wonderings of a Twenty Something 
I love this, Kim! Exercise – especially yoga – is definitely a place to relax, be selfish, and do something positive for your body (and/or mind!) Glad you’re settling in to a more selfish routine 🙂
I am most definitely selfish in my yoga practice. I also have a nonnegotiable 30 minutes before bed to read and enjoy my book!
The me time at home is harder because as a family we spend so much time apart during the day. We definitely let each other know if we need some quiet time though!