I don't know about you, but I am one of those early risers. It's really not that I want to be,but from the moment my eyes open, sleepy or not, my mind begins reminding me of everything that is on my agenda for the day. I am reminded more of this around the time that the holidays are over, and the pace at our home slows.

We as women are list people. We make a list for the grocery store, a list for errands,a list of chores, a list of bills to pay and so on it goes. We as women are nesters, it is our nature to make where we are home, to provide comfort and nurturing, yet we are feeling empty and frustrated at times with the hurried lives we live and how to balance it all.

We know more now than ever about how to maintain our health. We have access to information for just about anything we need to educate ourselves on. Yet, we still feel a lack. A void, a space inside that remains empty,waiting to be filled and tended.

We run a much greater risk of missing out on so much when we ignore this need. We are forgetting that we ourselves are the missing part of this story. Imagine how much more we can add to our nuturing, our love we offer, the raising of our children, our marriages or relationships when we decide that self love and care are as equally important as everything on those to do lists we make.

Remembering the basics of natural health living such as at least 5 hours of sleep, (preferably 7-8).Getting proper nutrition. I gave up the multiple cups of coffee during the day to aid in my sleep and I switched to tea. I forgot how many great flavored teas there are to drink, now I don't miss the coffee at all! When we have small children we tend to just snack and eat whatever we may be feeding them. We just need to remember we do so much more for them when we take care of ourselves. We may not remember this, but they really are always watching everything we say and do.Get some exercise. Do something physical everyday. Now we're not talking a scheduled workout everyday here, but those little things such as taking the stairs, parking further away at the grocery store,getting into some physical play with our kids and pets will help us feel more energetic and help us rest better.

We must all agree that life gets the best of us at times and it really is in our best interest to take care of ourselves consistently.

Here are a few suggestions for self care heading into 2012.*

*journaling, proper sleep, better food choices, exercise frequently, play time, plenty of fluids, maintain close relationships with supportive people, take up a hobby, learn a skill, schedule some time alone to read, bathe,nap,pray,stretch,cook if enjoyable,garden,paint,sing,play with all your heart*

I hope this encourages you to take time for yourself. You really do matter. You are the missing link . Be happy and count your blessings this day finding grace in each moment. Allow yourself good living by staying healthy. After all it is really all inter-connected. When we are healthy, happy, vibrant, positive individuals our families benefit from the windfall.

To be alive in spirit, to be happy in each moment, to have a cause, To have a defense against this pace of life that wears on us and demands so much of us. It is our defense, our strongest measure of how we will fare thru it all.

                                                   Love and Light my friends. Take care, I really mean this......