Every day there’s a chance to do 1 thing right, sleep. The 1 thing that’ll bring countless rewards, yet often is last on the list of life-changing priorities.
Why? No, really… why?
I have to ask myself this question over and over.
It’s quite literally the same as ignoring a $1000 bill on the ground for your business.
And… leaving behind the chance for:
Joyous laughter with your kids.
A loving moment with your partner.
Fulfilling friendships and life.
A happier, healthier (even likely more fit) body.
Space for self.
Clarity on where lost things have disappeared to.
Aha moments, every morning.
Ideas on how to better organize the house and daily life.
Clear direction for your business and things that matter to you.
How to solve communication issues.
Less pain in your body and heart.
Creativity over-flowing.
Time expanding.
Spirit soaring.
Energy to move your body.
More accomplished and on and on. (this is only the tip of the iceberg!)
SO WHY. WHY WOULDN’T THIS BE A TOP PRIORITY OF TIME, ENERGY INVESTMENT?
WHY DON’T WE SIMPLY MAKE IT HAPPEN? WHEN, QUITE CLEARLY EVERYTHING ELSE FALLS INTO PLACE SO EASILY WHEN YOU DO?
I ask you to ask this of yourself as I ask the same of myself.
One thing that is sure is that, when you ARE sleepless, clarity is not super great and getting to sleep ends up being surprisingly harder.
You might delude yourself into believing that you can finish some work (very slowly and inefficiently) after your kids fall asleep.
Or, maybe you tell yourself you deserve some Netflix time to “decompress” which ripples out well beyond your natural energy levels and the time you would have fallen asleep if you had chosen a book, instead. (a book, ha ha, when did I last read one of those at bed time?! My daughter often sleeps next to me, soooo.)
Does it go even deeper? Are you used to complaining or having a life you don’t fully choose? Is there a part of you that isn’t fully ready for the joy, abundance and beauty that life has to offer?
Sorry, but I had to go there.
We all have moments of self-sabotaging craziness.
And, sleeplessness can take you there in a hurry.. and keep you there, reminding of that horrible old Kathy Bates movie.. uff, I shudder just thinking about the horror of being trapped against your will.
Yet, that is the trap of this situation.. you chose to be a parent ( in one way or another) and there are moments of pure joy and pure hell inside of that choice.
And, it doesn’t mean you have to suffer through it in a never-ending battle against mess, time and daily tasks. Which is what it feels like when sleep hasn’t been happening.
Take it from me, it’s a Himalayan climb up a hill to get beyond your own dark mind when you are tired, exhausted and sleepless.
With an often snoring husband and a screaming in the night child, I often get lost in sleeplessness and all the ugliness it can bring. Oh, right and the Netflix series that are impossible not to get sucked into like Queen’s Gambit or Bridgerton.. sigh.. it happens..
When those series seasons are over and you are ready to have some amazing days.. think about what could expand and be more possible..
Here are just a couple of things that I do that help and I’d love to hear yours!
WHAT ARE A COUPLE SMALL THINGS YOU CAN DO TO GET TO SLEEP?
- Take daytime naps. (this has been life-changing! The work I get done later in the day and the patience with self and family, has been transformative.)
- Don’t eat massive meals before sleeping.
- Do NOT read emails before you go to bed! You never know what surprises are waiting and its’ better (though I know soooo tempting) to wait until morning. (Event last night, I couldn’t resist quickly returning a bunch of mails.. on a late Saturday night.. ugh! what happened to me! I used to be out on the town!)
- Set an alarm for when you’re kids need to start bedtime rituals
- Set an alarm for when YOU need to start your own bedtime rituals (we grown-ups need those, too!)
- Find new things to feel “YOUR TIME” at end of the day that helps you get to sleep, rather than harm (Netflix Vortex) your sleep time rituals. (by the way, I am totally listening to myself here, because these days DO happen, all the time!)
- What would you add to this list of Sleep helpers to create the life you want? Let me know in the partner Instagram post that will have the same photos as this blog! (If you’d like to hear your voice on the podcast, just record your thoughts on a message on Instagram!)
Have a beautifully Imperfect, yet amazingly great sleep night!