Guest Post: 3 Ways to Love YOU by Marcia Richards

I'm thrilled to be a guest at Gary's place today! See you later, Gary! He's off to guest post at Sonia Medeiros' blog. So be sure to go visit him there when you're done here. He's talking about creativity today.

Valentine's Day is right around the corner. It's all about love, giving and receiving. We scurry around making sure our Moms, kids, and significant others have a special day so they know how much we love them.

Uh, oh...you forgot someone. "Who did I forget?" you ask, slightly offended by the inference that you hadn't thought of everything and everyone.

YOU...that's who you forgot. YOU. I know, making everyone else feel special makes you happy, too. And they do their part to make you smile. But what have you done for YOU lately?

1. Kick Your Own Butt  Have you been slacking in some pocket of life? Don't feel like exercising, don't feel like cleaning, don't feel like working? Maybe it's hormonal, or it's holiday letdown hanging on, or it's the gray cloudy days.

If you read my last ROW80 post, you now that I haven't felt like writing for about a week. Yes, I've written my blogs, but they were sometimes really tough to complete. I hadn't fulfilled my ROW80 goal of writing 2500 words week on my WIP.

Then my good friend, Diana Douglas, came to my blog and simply said, "It's a daily job". Well, kick my butt! Of course, I knew this but had conveniently "forgotten". That simple comment from Diana got me back on track. I'm doing it for ME. I want to feel good about my writing, so I'm getting back to it.

2. Check Your List  When was the last time you looked at your life list? Do you even have a life list? If not, take a moment to think about a few things you'd like to accomplish in the next few months. Small or large, it doesn't matter, just jot them down. If you need an example of a life list, click HERE.

Now, look at the list. Find something on that list you can do for yourself today. Eat an extra piece of fruit, stash a few dollars in your savings jar, put down that piece of cake, write 250 words on your story, take inventory of your clothes closet to see what needs to be repaired or replaced, go buy the paint for the room you've been meaning to get to. Choose to do something that will give you the feeling of moving forward.

3. Reward yourself  I saved the best for last! So, you've been getting things checked off your life list or your to-do list? You are exercising regularly? You wrote 20 pages on your manuscript? You've saved enough cash to pay of a bill? You've just been an extra loving and supportive friend/spouse/parent/child?

Do something nice for yourself - go out to dinner, get a new haircut, get a facial/massage/manicure, buy those new shoes you've drooled over, go dancing with your main squeeze, luxuriate in the tub with a book and a glass of wine.

With the heavy schedule most of us keep and with all that we do for others, it's necessary for our mental and emotional health to give ourselves a break. Otherwise, our immune system is overloaded and we get sick. Gary offers up some other ideas to take a break and feel good HERE.

Valentine's Day has always been a day for loving others. Institute a day every month for loving YOU.

What do you do regularly to show a little love for yourself? Do you do it often enough? Please share your ideas for ways to make ourselves feel good.

Marcia Richards is a veteran blogger and author of Marcia Richards’ Blog…Sexy. Smart. From The Heart. Marcia writes about SSS (strong, smart, sexy) Women, Health and the path to realizing your dreams. She has a Historical Trilogy and a collection of short stories in progress. When she’s not writing, she can be found playing with the grandkids or her husband, seeing the sights of her home state or turning old furniture into works of art. She believes there is always something new to learn and always time to play.

Visit Marcia at: Marcia-Richards.com. Hang out with Marcia at: twitter/@MarciaARichards or facebook.com/MarciaARichards.