Refilling Your Pitcher

"She refilled her pitcher, and in doing so, she was able to refresh everyone around her."

---Queenisms

"It had been a long, hot, and busy day at the office. The workers were tired and thirsty. The boss took a pitcher of water and began filling the workers' water glasses. Soon the pitcher was empty, but the boss continued pouring. Finally, a worker spoke up." Excuse me. Your pitcher is empty. You need to refill it before pouring any further." The boss looked at him and smiled. "You're absolutely right!" She then left to refill her pitcher."(original source unknown)

So much of happiness comes from giving and serving those around us. However, we must "refill our pitcher" in order to give and serve effectively. Every flight attendant on the planet will tell you that in the event of an emergency, you must put on your own oxygen mask before assisting others. For many of us, this idea requires a paradigm shift.. But we need to remind ourselves that self-care is not selfish! We cannot serve from an empty vessel. Self care is a divine responsibility. We are children of God and need to treat ourselves as such.

Ask yourself, "What refills my pitcher?" What are the daily things---big or small---that replenish my energy when its low? What can I add to my daily routine to renew and re-energize myself. This can be different for everyone, because what energizes one person will drain another, and vice versa, so it is important to come up with some strategies that work for YOU.  A few that work well for me are:

     *A walk outside. 

     *A bubble bath.

     *Escaping into a novel or movie

     *Knitting(or craft of choice)

     *Writing in a  journal.

     *Having lunch with a friend.

     *Indulging in a treat

     *Calling a loved one

     *Creating and sticking to boundaries.

     *Getting a massage.

     *Joining a book club.

     *Writing a thank you card to someone

     *Taking a nap

     *LOVE.

How you treat yourself is how you are inviting the world to treat you. Be good to yourself!