Take back a Saturday

It is hard to put yourself first. The phone, the laptop, your partner, the dog, your parents, the volunteer group. The list never quite ends, even after the school runs do.

Plenty of people take a feng shui course, move the furniture, put the right elements in the right corners and still feel unsettled. You can align every star in the house, and if you are the one out of balance it will not get you very far.

The missing piece is time for you.

So this summer, be a little selfish. Be greedy, even. The people around you will feel the benefit of a happier you just as much as you do.

Five ways to start

1. Give your toes a facelift. If you have never had a pedicure, now is the time. You do not need a day at the spa. Thirty minutes at the local nail bar will do it. Pick a bright, happy summer colour and see how it makes you feel. Indulgent, perhaps. Fabulous, always.
2. Take back a Saturday. Yes, the laundry needs doing. Arrange a little help if you need it and do something for yourself. Take the class you have always meant to take, or go to a film, or go for a long walk. You do not owe anyone an explanation.
3. Try something new. Something you have been curious about for years. A sound or colour therapy session, a meditation class, a yoga class. Just one. See what you like and how you feel afterward. Sometimes one class opens the door to a whole new way of living.
4. Call an old friend. Ever wondered what happened to your best friend from high school? They are probably wondering the same about you. Meet for coffee and bring the yearbooks. No judging and no expectations, just an afternoon of memories and laughing at the hair.
5. Keep a grateful journal. When life feels like it is spiralling, write down what you are grateful for. Pour yourself a glass of wine, get comfortable and count the good things. If your toes are shiny at the same time, all the better.

Life is a blessing, and it is yours. Take a little of it back.

From the archive. First written for my journal years ago, and rewritten for life after 50.