Coloring and Wine are the best solutions to stress. Coloring provides the feeling of “comfort-food” nestled in our souls as children. Wine nourishes the adult in us. Combined they are a perfect pairing to ease our burdens helping us wipe away the wrinkles of our worries.
Balancing life is essential for our overall health. Too often, we become unbalance and when that occurs we find ourselves overwhelmed, fatigued…and STRESSED! So, before we get to that level we can take steps to help maintain a balanced life. Including, making time, making it a habit or ritual carved out space in your day for coloring and wine.
Be on Time
The alarm goes off, kids need to be on the bus to get to school on time. Load up the car, we need to be at the doctor’s office on time – in fact, they request we be there 15 minutes early. I have yet to ever be called into the patient room on time. At times, I have even waited over an hour to be seen. I am sure you can all relate. The BIG family (all the relatives) get together for a function and we need to be on time.
But I am never on time for myself! That must change! And I am not alone—not in a million years! Chances are, if you happen to have stumbled across this and have had long enough to read this far, you are still holding your breath. Holding it as if that will stop time. Then, with time stopped, you can squeeze in your “me-break”. In this brief breathless moment. It doesn’t work the way we have been doing it. How about trying a new approach?
Be on Time For Yourself
What does it take to be on time for yourself? My first thought is…it sure isn’t related to an alarm clock. Then I stopped immediately in mid-thought and asked myself…or is it? Is that why I am not giving myself my own attention? The attention that I deserve? Is it because I am NOT listening to my OWN alarm clock? Or is it because I haven’t set the alarm? Or have I heard the alarm for so long, I have forgotten how to respond to it? There is always the possibility I have hit the snooze button one too many times.
The challenge for me – and I challenge you as well – is to carve out that time and make it a habit! They say to create a habit you must do an action repeatedly, consistently, in the same manner for at least three weeks continually. Therefore, my challenge is each day of the week I devote thirty minutes to myself at the same time of day. For example, every morning, I choose to honor myself with one hour of uninterrupted, unplanned time at 9:00AM for me to do an activity to benefit only myself. It cannot include housework, anyone else’s needs or attending to any business. This is ME being ON TIME for ME.
My Morning Me-Time
Ideally, each morning I set aside that one hour I refuse to answer the door, the telephone, the email and the text because I am pampering ME! One morning I might sit in my robe drinking my yummy, energizing diet coffee. Nothing like working out in your robe, sitting down watching the TODAY show drinking coffee. Oh, I’m “working out” – leave me alone — it’s my time. That means my workouts include toe curls and shoulder “hugs” (shrugs) for myself.
The next morning, I perform a mani-pedi on myself and with that full one hour of me-time, the polish will dry and not smudge. The best though, is having that coffee, in my robe, curling my toes, watching the TODAY show and coloring. Using crayons or Pencils. I have grown to prefer colored pencils.
Something About Coloring
Coloring is such a primitive expression of art for us. From the moment we can get our hands into anything, any medium, we are compelled to disperse it on everything that surrounds us. I laugh when I think of all the You Tube videos of young children painting their younger siblings in just about everything under the sun. Pudding, nail polish, syrup, toothpaste, mommy’s make-up, daddy’s shaving cream. A little birdie tells me you have either been the deviant or the victim of this — oh, not you? You were the innocent? Okay, it’s your story. Just kidding. I didn’t do that either. I was a hair cutter. Lol
Full Day in Swing
Relaxing during the morning helps clear my head and prepares me to focus on the tasks for the day. I feel rejuvenated and positive. Essentially, I feel ready to EMBRACE my day instead of dreading marking off the to do list one at a time.
My days have a loose schedule in that there is always a to do list but not necessarily a timed schedule. However, this flexibility creates additional chaos. Everyone is aware I can accommodate change. Which means my intentions and plans frequently get shuffled around the day. Consequently, my to do list does not always get accomplished. My day can turn from peaceful and positive to upside down, hurried and in a fury of multi-tasking projects.
Afternoon Bustle
There is a bewitching hour in the mid to late afternoon. The alarm on my i-phone chimes a warning. My kids will be home from school shortly. From this moment going forward, I hustle to wrap up whatever I am in the middle of doing. Once the kids are home, the noise level in the house increases. The doors start opening and closing regularly and loudly. Banging back and forth. Every light in the house gets flipped on. Plus, backpacks and items from school are strewn from room to room across the house.
Like clockwork, everyone begins bellowing about their hunger pains and grumbling bellies. After school homework and play rolls right into dinner time. Before I have a chance to sit down to eat my own meal, others are up and gone from the table. The kitchen two hours ago was bustling with people, shoulder to shoulder. I could barely turn around to reach the stove. Now, the silence is near deafening in the kitchen. With exception of my cleaning up dishes, all I hear is the activity and noise from the other rooms. My feet and back are tired.
Nighttime Rituals
Dishes done and its time to round up the kids for bathing or showering. This is a process of tearing them away from whatever it is captivating their attention. Most likely, they are engrossed in a YouTube or Video game. Minecraft and Fortnite are competition for me getting my kids’ attention. The bedtime hour strikes sharp and kids are still hungry getting a snack. Or thirsty and getting a drink. Thirty to forty minutes later and a few picked up towels from the bathroom floor and I get to sit down again.
This is where I need to work on being on time for myself again. Setting aside my half-done projects, the to do list and everything related to someone else. Moreover, this is another chance I can take the opportunity to attend to my own self and my needs. I am not talking about sitting in front of the television watching a show, not even a chick flick. The focus is on me!
Coloring and Wine -Down Time
These are moments to reflect on the day. My successes, weaknesses, failures and my own greatness. This is my opportunity to have private thoughts from my heart and mind. To share them in prayer. Feeling and being in a state of gratitude. Realizing all my blessings.
And my favorite part of coloring and wine -down time is having a glass of wine. Personally, I enjoy a red wine. Then, as I take advantage of my full hour of committed time to myself, I bring the coloring book back out. Finishing what I started at the beginning of my day. Relinquishing my worries and stress for another day. Coloring until I feel I nurtured and comforted from my day and in my soul.
Following My Challenge – Joining Me
First, make that time commitment to yourself! Be on time for YOU! Next, invest in a coloring book or two and your choice of color media, crayons or pencils, or whatever. Finally, join the wine club so your wine is shipped automatically to you each month. Simply having it on hand reduces your options for excuses. Let the coloring and wine begin!
Next Article: Coloring is Comfort #1
Mom Wine Rituals Induced by Preteens Across America
God Speaks – Are you Listening?
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