Have you ever sat on your foot for a while to the point that you stop feeling it? Or go in a beautiful hike to an alpine lake, put your foot in the water until it gets numbed?

The way it was explained to me, was that when the water is so cold, you put your foot slowly. At the beginning it hurts, but eventually, it numbs to the point that you stop feeling the pain, or the foot for that matter.

This week while coaching a client, we were talking about self-care. She is a beautiful soul that cares for everyone … except for herself.

Unfortunately, she is not alone. This is a very common occurrence, specially among mothers and women in certain cultures. We make it our job to please everyone in our family. From the oldest to the youngest, to take care of their every need.

Making sure they are cared for. Many times, overprotecting our children, not allowing them to grow and test their own strength.

But the major problem, is that it leaves little, to no time for us. We get so busy carrying and pleasing everyone else, that we forget we have needs to.

No time for a cup of tea in the morning, a nice walk in the woods, 30 minutes to read a book. A shower without interruptions turns into a luxury.

We have gotten so use to not having time for ourselves, that we have become numbed to the pain.

It is not that we don’t care, we just don’t feel it.

And when we think about making a change, the first thing that comes to mind ,is how uncomfortable it will be when others don’t like us.

But, we are already living comfortably numbed. In a constant uncomfortable state, depleting our energy and health to satisfy those around us.

What happens when you run out of energy? when you have no more to give? We all eventually get depleted, and at that point, we can’t please any one.

So take time for you. Self-care can look many different ways. So make a list of the things you like, what brings you joy. When we are numbed, it can take some time remembering what we want, so give it a try.

Take at least one thing from your list and give you 10 minutes a day to make it.

10 minutes a day can start fueling your inner-self enough to wake up from the numbness.

If you think that you don’t have time, just think what it would cost you if you get so numbed that you can’t function?

Be you, stop the numbness and start living your life. 

Be a full person, not only the shadow of what you can be.