As women we rarely slow down, much less stop for illness, pain or a bad day. We are mothers, significant others, sisters and overall caregivers. Our job never ends. We may punch out at the end of the day only to start our other job when we get home.

While our jobs may offer sick days, we rarely use them unless we are using them to care for someone else. When it comes to health and fitness, our first thought is that we just don’t have time. But let’s be honest with ourselves. If we can’t take 30 mins to an hour out of a day to work out how can we spare weeks or days when our body starts to shut down? If we ignore the signs our body and spirit gives us, we are only hurting ourselves. At some point it is crucial to stop and evaluate what we need for our own well being. If we don’t take care of ourselves we can’t take care of anyone else.

Every once in awhile your body sends a message out to you loud and clear. It’s time to take better care of yourself; mind, body and soul. Are you paying attention?

You are pursing dreams, going after it all. I get it! But if you don’t take care of the foundation, the rest won’t even matter. If your child is sick, everything stops and you focus on taking care of them. Who is taking care of you?

Achieving your goals takes work, determination and the strength to keep pushing forward. To ensure you are up for the challenge, take time to evaluate how you take care of yourself. Now step up your game. What are you putting into your body? How often are you getting exercise or taking mental breaks? Think about it.

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