To be a woman in today’s world you need to be a three-ring circus act.  A juggler for your daily responsibilities, a contortionist for your evening show, and if you are a mom, you can add on an entire tent to your troupe.

Women are expected to be nurturers, kind, and open, the heart of the family, and strong support for our children and our spouses.  From a child, we are taught to make ourselves smaller.  Cross your legs/ankles, keep your posture tight [don’t slouch], speak when spoken to….and the list goes on.  We are taught to build friendships early on by sharing, exchanging, and bonding and we build ourselves around these relationships.

Eventually, you wake up one day and you realize between the kid’s schedules, your spouse, your job, and your friends/family social obligations you don’t have a moment to yourself.  During these past months with Covid-19 and everyone being home, I am sure these responsibilities have only multiplied. I know you are sitting here reading this blog while [figuratively] spinning plates on your head, but I ask you to STOP for a minute and ask yourself…

“What have I done for me lately?”

[think about it; I’ll wait].

See the problem with that question is that though we don’t like to admit it, it sparks the feeling that in some way SELF-CARE is SELFISH.  I am here to tell you it’s not!

Board a plane and the flight attendant will tell you that in an emergency you must put your mask on before you help another.  But why do you have to wait until an emergency to put yourself first?  I think the difference between selfish and self-care is just a matter of how you balance it.  If you don’t believe me, just watch a man.

Men, single or married will make time for themselves.  Whether it’s a boy’s night, sports, going to the gym, or just hanging out in the backyard, they make the time.  They don’t apologize for it, they prioritize it.  They make room for themselves.

Ladies, you must make room for yourself.  You need to take up more space.  Whether that means you pencil in some time into your daily, weekly, or monthly schedule, or you simply steal a few minutes here and there.  YOU need to be a priority for YOU.  Don’t sit around waiting for someone to give you permission.  You are the star of this show, not a supporting character. Self-care and self-love aren’t selfish, they’re just smart.  Treat yourself accordingly and everyone else will benefit.

For many of us that have taken the plunge and scheduled a session with Mirrored Images, the initial poses are a bit strange, but it’s the exploration of self that is awkward.  Placing your hands on your hips, popping your booty, or simply connecting with Jenn behind the camera feels foreign when you have trained yourself to be small. But that must stop.  The year is coming to an end and the holidays are approaching.  Before you delve head first into everyone and everything else, I challenge you to take some ME time, because there’s only one YOU so take care of her.

-Marissa