In this busy world, it is sometimes easy to forget about yourself and your needs. You just do the things you need to do and very often you notice that life is getting boring because every day seems to be exactly the same. When you’re single it’s easier to stop and listen to yourself but when you have a family to take care of, everything becomes a lot challenging.
I used to be an athlete and was quite good about running. My whole life was about me and my physical and mental health. My coach was always there for me and he even took me to different cities to go to the best doctors’ if I had an injury and he would find the best physiotherapist there is in Finland and took me there to fix my ankle. I had a massage regularly so it helped my muscles to recover faster. I was the most important for myself. My coach wanted me to be the best 400 m runner there is so he did everything for me. He even spent more time coaching me and planning my training schedule for me than he was with his wife. Because he wanted me to be the best. Even my parents didn’t take that good care of me (and trust me they are great parents!). So I got used to that kind of lifestyle where I didn’t need to do anything else than just exercise, eat and sleep well. My coach even said to me once "try to avoid stairs if you can take the elevator and try to avoid any extra physical activity if possible so you can get all the rest you need and you’ll be a world champion someday”. Today I just laugh to that comment and thinking that I should have questioned him at some things. But other than that he was a really good coach.
So now you’re thinking that my life was a dream. It was sort of. I took care of myself, all the time. I was very spoiled by my coach and somehow by my parents too. I didn’t know the “real” world. But I felt very empty inside. I didn’t have a life outside the sports world. My high lights were competitions where I could see people and be a teenager. I didn’t understand the inner side of me. I also wanted to be less selfish and take care of someone else too.
When I became a mom, the hardest thing for me was to give myself to someone else. I had to share myself. I never had problems with my body, but now someone inside me was shaping my body to very weird shape and I didn’t feel myself anymore. After giving birth I felt like I was injured in a war or something. It really felt that my body had literally exploded and sewed back together. It took me a year to understand my body again and make it strong again. For the first time in my life, I felt that my body was weak. I was in very bad shape and didn’t know how to start exercising again because everything hurt for six long months. The next pregnancy didn’t go any easier or the time after giving birth. But now I was stronger and wiser and knew what to expect.
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| When I'm balanced spending time with the kids is precious |
Having kids has really changed the way I see my life now. It’s not obvious anymore for me to clear my head and do something I like. I have to take the time for myself. When I do it, I’m a better wife and mom. I have the energy to play with the kids, I have the patience to listen to all the cries there is and I have empathy for my husband when he needs someone to talk to.
I usually spend my “me time” writing, running, doing yoga (usually at home) and reading. After giving birth I have noticed that my body needs some more gentle exercise and I tried yoga. It really has given me so much more energy, strength, and flexibility. It’s also a really good way for me to learn more about my body and calm myself down after a busy workday. And the best thing is that you don’t need to know anything about yoga because you’ll learn and develop fast. I started almost 4 years ago with Boho Beautiful https://www.youtube.com/user/cexercize and still doing it. It’s amazing and the places are beautiful.
Recently I talked with my sister who has three children. She said that after 12 years she has realized that she needs to focus on herself and take care of herself. I’m so happy for her to understand that. She has had a very different life than I have had when we were teenagers. She needed to learn through her kids how important it is to take care of herself.
I really appreciate all the moms who devote their lives to their families and kids but it is important for your own growth and your own wellbeing to understand your own needs. Because kids are here with us only for so little time. I think that it is important for our kids to see that parents can have their own hobbies and interests too so they understand that not everything is about them.
I was fortunate to grow to love my body and my life at an early age so I didn’t need to learn it in a hard way after having kids. But it’s never too late to learn that. It is very important to learn to love yourself. When you learn to love yourself, it’s easier for you to love others too. When you accept yourself, you will accept everyone around you the way they are.
For me then the most important lesson has been that if I’m not mentally balanced nothing else works either. So recently I have focused my mental health and started to listen to my emotions and my feelings more carefully and that way understands other people better too. When you feel good, everyone else around you benefits that too. Try what feels good for you and where you get energy. It can be anything. But the most important is that you get to charge your batteries. Take the time to take care of yourself!
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| My future Olympian 💗 |
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