Women wear a lot of hats

How true is that? 

• What woman you know doesn't do at least 3 jobs?
• Who makes it look effortless most of the time?
• Who doesn't get thanked enough?
• Who slowly and quietly gets more overwhelmed each day?
• Who seldom complains about the load she bears?

And of all the hats we wear, we are nearly always supporting, doing or caring for someone else. 
 
So, when do you decide it's time to take care of you? And if you ever make this difficult and guilt inspiring decision, who is it that does take care of you?

Run down the list of hats you wear in a typical day, or week, or month, and consider how those who are paid as professionals in each field demand to be treated and served. 

Chefs have dishwashers, most professions have secretaries, or assistants, some professions have entire staff to tend to things that are outside their expertise.

And you, a busy professional woman, do all of these, only get paid for one maybe two of them and insist that your needs can wait.

and wait...

and wait...

and wait...

But what happens when they can't wait any longer? What happens when you finally hit that tipping point? What happens when you burn out mentally, emotionally or physically?

People in your life will step up and pitch in and they will care for you. And then you'll feel even more guilty.

So what if you decided that taking care of you, self-care, that thing that you know you're supposed to do, but just never manage to get around to, was important. What if you decided that it was a priority? 

What if you could come up with a way to do that on a regular basis and not feel guilty? 

Impossible?

Maybe not.

There are a thousand little things you can do in a day to lower your stress level and take a little bit of self-care without neglecting your loved ones, your business or your ever growing to-do list. 

Here are a few to inspire you to do a little self-care today...

• Give yourself a mini facial - grab one of those sets of beauty products you bought but never took the time to use and do all the steps. Enjoy the glow and great feeling skin.
• Listen to your favorite song. Turn the volume up loud. Before you pick up the kids, sing all the lyrics at the top of your lungs and chair dance if you want to.
• Call your best girlfriend and share a funny memory.
• Do a random act of kindness for someone who can not return the favor, but a cup of coffee for the person behind you in line, pay a parking meter, give a McDonalds or Subway gift card to a homeless person.
• Send yourself a note or card - in the mail. 
• Watch your favorite movie.

Find more tips and ideas in my free report: http://www.winewomenandwax.biz/StressRelief.html        

Letting Go

This time of year, our new product line comes out for the Fall and Holiday, our biggest selling season. Consequently, our annual retirement list is published and I always get a backlash from my customers asking why oh why are we discontinuing their favorite collection or more often their favorite fragrance.

I felt myself slipping into that a bit this year, as some of my current favorites are on the cutting list, but then I recall how much I fall in love with the new fragrances each time they are revealed, and the new collections. If we never let go of the old, there would never be room to embrace the new. 

I think as women, we are more sentimental than men, and we have the tendency to hang on to things. Not just our favorite products, or fragrances, but our favorite stores, parks, ice cream shops. We develop an emotional attachment to things. Even ideas.

As women entrepreneurs, we are always coming up with new ideas and new things to try or new ways to try them. But we still get caught in the trap where we come up with something and then get emotionally attached to it, more than the outcome it was meant to produce.

A really great exercise to shed some stress and guilt this week is to take a look at what you're holding on to that may be holding you back. And allow yourself to let it go to make way for some great new stuff!

I just heard that a dear friend was let go from her place of business today. No notice, no explanation, no indication that anything was amiss. Not surprisingly, she is hurt and shocked. As a friend with another perspective, I was able to look at the situation and pose a thought she never considered that may open up her options and possibilities exponentially.

Sometimes, we have to let go of the mundane to make way for the amazing.

I would love to hear what thing this week you are allowing yourself to let go, if you're really brave, you can share what it's been holding you back from.

P.S. If you're interested in checking out our retiring list, you can do so here.