If you’ve ever flown on a commercial flight, you know the routine: “please put your oxygen mask on before assisting others.” This little piece of safety information can be applied to so many different areas of our lives. In my case, it’s about the birth of my second child.
My wife and I just welcomed our second daughter a few days ago, and this time around has been much different so far compared to our first daughter. If you’ve read anything on this blog I’m the past few weeks you know that I’m in a groove, writing regularly, building solid habits, and in general, doing well. Having a child throws a giant wrench in the machinery in terms of having a regular schedule. Feeding every few hours, sleeping (or not sleeping) weird hours, it makes life seem like a giant blur for a period of time.
When we welcomed our first daughter I remember feeling so out of it by day four, and how I looked at people walking on the street with a sense of envy, because they were probably just having a “regular” day.
With our recent addition, I’ve made sure that I’m taking just a little bit of time, or I should say little bits of time, for some self care. Things like going for a half hour run or hopping on the bike trainer for a bit, writing a short blog post every day, getting 30 pushups in, getting a little nap in during the day. All these little moments of selfishness have helped me feel more present in the times I’m spending with my family. I’ve missed a few minutes of time with my family because of these activities, but in the long run I think it’s not s huge price to pay. I put my oxygen mask on first, and now I can assist others around me.