Nothing to wear
Another exhausting week. It’s a good tired. It’s just time to fill back up. Time for a weekend reset.
Most women, if not all, have had those times when they had “nothing to wear”? Have you?
In the Caribbean we only have two seasons - rainy season and dry season. We refer to the dry, hot season as summer.
In the summer we want to be wearing cool, light clothing, preferably cotton, sleeveless, short. We try to go to the beach during this time where we wear skimpy bathing suits and wide rimmed straw hats to provide some relief from the heat.
When it is rainy and cooler, especially at nights, we wear long sleeves, and thicker, warmer clothing.
We women are always complaining that we have “nothing to wear”. We could be standing in front of a closet bursting with clothes, many of which we have not worn for weeks…even months, and yet “cannot find anything to wear”.
I wonder if you are like me when dressing. I go through at least 2 changes of clothes before I finally “find something to wear”. Either it doesn’t fit right, doesn’t look right for the occasion, is too hot, too short, etc., etc.. When I am finally dressed, my bed would be strewn with discarded outfits.
It’s the same state of confusion we face when we find ourselves in different seasons of life and what used to work for us before is no longer serving us, and we struggle to find what will.
For example, we may have once been able to multi-task. We would pride ourselves that we could do “a million things” all at once …. and get it all done too!
Now, we are simply plain old tired after doing just one of those tasks! We are searching for our glasses which are on our faces or our cell phone which we are holding to our ears and talking on. We are forgetting the names of people which we once knew well, and lots of other things too. We are having to retrace our steps to remember where we were going or what for. We are falling asleep on our favourite shows. We constantly have acid reflux eating the same things we have been eating for years. Our joints and muscles ache at the slightest provocation… or none at all LOL.
Why? We may not have acknowledged or accepted that we are in a different season of life and that we need to adjust our lifestyle-wardrobe accordingly.
Yes, we are getting older but that is not solely why we are experiencing these changes. My husband has always told me when I would complain, that the reason I’m “forgetful” or “overwhelmed” or anxious all the time is that I have too many things on my mind all at once, and trying to do too many things all at once. For years I’ve been telling him that’s how I am and that women can do that. I am ready to give him credit for his words of wisdom. He is right. I needed to take better care of my mind and body, and the “chicken is coming home to roost”. Thankfully, it’s not too late.
My middle-aged sistas, in fact all my sistas, just as we would not wear a sweater to bathe on the beach, in this season of our lives, there are some things that will no longer suit us (in fact never did), and other things that now do. This is as natural as it is to need to switch from dry and hot weather clothes to rainy and cold weather clothes.
In this season of your life, instead of being depleted, defeated, and stuck with “nothing to wear”, find the right thing to “wear” for each season. Here are eight very important steps you can take to be properly dolled up for all seasons, and be your fabulous self.
“Declutter” your life. Eliminate or delegate some things you no longer need to be doing, including things you are doing for others who are quite capable of doing those things for themselves.
Take breaks. For example take a break from deep thinking and/or sitting, every half hour, to maintain proper circulation and avoid muscle and joint fatigue. Take vacation breaks from work….. regularly.
Sleep for more hours if you need to, without guilt, including taking a nap during the day.
Take some quiet time for yourself, to think, dream, plan, reflect, learn from your experiences - first thing in the morning to prepare for the day, last thing at night to decompress, and after any strenuous or taxing event or situation.
Spend time and money on yourself for your own self-care - grooming, massages, nail care, hobbies, proper nutrition including supplements, etc.
Spend time talking to other sistas or lyming (hanging out) with them from time to time!!!
Enjoy what you do and do what you enjoy! Martyrdom is no longer in season!!!
Sloooooooooow down!!! Schedule less activities in any one day. Much less. You are NOT a rat, so get out of the “rat race” for the sake of your health and wellbeing.
WEEKEND RESET TIP
Sloooooooooow down. Relax. Rest. Take your time. Breathe deeply. Walk slowly. Really look at what’s around you. Be present. Observe. Enjoy. Smile. Sleep.
Share in the comments how you have chosen to sloooooooow down this weekend or in the past. I would love to chat with you if you are feeling depleted, defeated and stuck. Schedule a FREE coaching session with me HERE to explore how you can get unstuck and live your best life fulfilled and on purpose in all seasons. Happy weekend reset.