Hi!  I hope you’re having a wonderful summer so far. So, what is the 15 minute self-care habit?  And why is it a good habit to adopt? Every morning, before you start doing something for others – your family or your work, and before looking at social media, do something for yourself for at least 15 minutes. Why is this important? Because, by doing something kind for yourself, you are giving to yourself which fills your cup. And by doing this, you are choosing happy for yourself BEFORE anyone else enters your day. You might be thinking, “it’s impossible for me to do this, my children want my attention right away” (and that’s reality if you have very young children but, not if they’re older). Both your family and work can wait for another 15 minutes. So, how can you do this?

Next Steps:

1.  Set your alarm clock earlier by 15 minutes.  And, when it goes off, get up.  What will be your motivator?  YOU.  Doing something you want to do.  A gift to yourself.
2.  If you can, put your phone on Airplane mode the night before.  Unless you’re waiting for an important message or have a loved one you’re worried about, you can wait 15 minutes after waking up to check messages.
3.  Decide in advance how you want to spend your 15 minutes.  What makes you happy that you can do within that time?  Maybe there’s a book you’ve been meaning to read but, you can’t seem to find the time.  Read a few pages every day. By having something planned, your mind won’t have to think about what to do.  You don’t have to do it this way.  Maybe you prefer the spontaneity of waking up and having this time to do whatever you feel inspired to do.

Other Ideas:

• Exercise
• Meditate
• Listen to an inspiring podcast
• Learn a new skill
• Mindfully eat your breakfast without interruptions
• Enjoy your cup of coffee
• Listen to your favorite music and dance!
• Whatever YOU want.

You may need to wake up earlier before your family wakes up, and at first, you may not want to.  I’m here to gently remind you to give this a try and see how you feel.  How can you not feel good taking the time to do something for you? We give to our family and to our work.  We also need to give to ourselves.  And, no, it is not selfish to do this.  It is called self-care and, by doing this, we are choosing happy for our life. You might even notice that you show up happier in your day. “Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be.” (Abraham Lincoln) Let me know how this works for you via email (marie@choosehappywithmarie.com) Have a great day and the rest of the summer! Remember,