These days in my life, it's as if they raised my responsibilities to the power of three. The more I want to clear my head, the more a lot of things pile up, glaring at me to attend to, but in all, there is something I learned for good, and that's doing something selfish for myself at least once in a while and for my own benefits; simply put, taking good care of myself. Yes, because responsibilities don't finish.
My good friend called me last week and said, "Nkem, I am going to the hospital to take a bed over there and rest," and I asked her, "Are you sick?" She said, "Nooo, I just want to rest my head and have my sanity. I will plead with the doctor to put a drip on me for 24 hours," she continued... I will just lie down, sleep, and forget about my wife duties and motherhood duties. The kids and hubby won't die, but if I die, my husband will replace me, lol.
I listened to her and couldn't stop laughing but she did it just as she said in a private hospital around us , and I wouldn't call if selfish ,she needed her joints and body to rest but at home, she couldn't overlook certain chores but deep down,she knew that her body needed that rest and the hospital was her hiding place , and of course she returned home feeling better,she benefit from her idea after all.
There are several ways we can observe selfish acts, and it's not a sin. Whatever works for you, just go by it. Personally, I have been so selfless to my family. I sacrifice a lot of my time, energy, sleep, money, etc., and sometimes when I look around, I feel pain because all my struggles, all my effort, and all my sleepless nights are just for my family. I could track my income monthly, and 95% of it fell back to my home. I am always saying, "Later, later, I will get this for myself, I will visit the spa, I will try out the Chinese food, I will squeeze out money and get myself a good wig," and the list continues.
I never do that many times; if it's not the school bus fee I want to attend to, it's my kids' change of clothes, my mom, my this and that, but fortunately, I listened to one video recently that brought a shift in my mind.
The thing is that being selfless is a great thing to do; if not, our family will suffer for it, but once in a while, it's fair enough to treat ourselves lovely. Pamper that body that produces the money, eat that stuff you are craving, and wear those kinds of luxury gowns other women are wearing. It's not a sin; it's self-love/care.
So I closed my eyes recently, visited a store, and got myself expensive and quality women's materials, even when some bills are still pending at home. It was needed. I had a spa treatment too and closed my day with some chilled parfait. I finished all my choppings at the mall without taking any home; I only wanted to pamper my body for a while at least, and I felt good. My selfless services at home continue, but I promised myself never to overlook myself that long anymore.