Empty Wells

My maternal grandparents live in a small town in Eastern Idaho called Arco. It was the first city to have atomic power and they throw a great atomic days parade with lots of candy for the kids. It is a farming community filled with good people. In the past decade drought has been a big problem for the farmers of Arco and the Lost River Valley (if the river that runs through your valley is called Lost River, drought is inevitable).

Not only were the skies dry and the reservoirs low, but people's wells were empty. And in a place where wells are the norm instead of city plumbing it was a serious problem. Digging a new well or deepening your existing well is an expensive investment - around $5,000 or more, but water sustains both life and your way of life when you are a farmer, and so they dug deeper wells to find much needed water.

I am not a farmer, but I am a nurturer of living things - my husband, my future kids, my family and friends. Nurturing comes naturally to me as it does to many women. Giving water from my well is a natural and often fulfilling thing to do but sometimes I forget to take time to fill my well back up and have at times found my well completely barren and dry.

Real Super Women are smart. They are wise enough to take the time to fill up their own wells and make sure that their reservoirs of strength are at a healthy level. Now I know even the best Super Women have dry wells from time to time because sometimes life throws us a lot of curve balls, but it is my hope that our wells can be full most of the time.

Filling our well - aka investing time in ourselves - is one of the most productive uses of our time. Yet most women feel guilty if they take time for themselves. I believe that this guilt comes from the myths about superwoman. Superwoman is supposed to do it all for everyone but herself and any time spent on herself is deemed selfish.

This is untrue. As we invest time, energy, and money in ourselves we receive a great return: strength, happiness, and fulfillment. We are then able to complete the many tasks that are required of us with greater joy, satisfaction, and less resentment. When we maintain a full well it becomes easier to nurture those around us without feeling depleted ourselves.

So the challenge for you this week is to invest 30 minutes in yourself. Find something that fills you up, inspires you, rejuvenates your spirit, and makes you genuinely happy. If you have lost your way a bit, that is okay. Take the time to meditate on the things that used to bring you joy and excitement. Think about the dreams you have or once had and take a step towards realizing one of them. Pick something that will fill your well back up.

And give yourself one rule: Tell yourself that you are not allowed to feel guilty about this investment time. Put aside all your worry about what you 'should' be doing and focus on enjoying this investment time in yourself. It is a gift that you deserve and it is one that will serve both you and the ones you love.

For my 30 minutes I am going to go bike shopping and buy myself a bike! I have been wanting a bike for a while and haven't taken the plunge yet, but I know that having a bike to ride and feel the wind rush past me will bring me joy and help my body feel good. It will fill my well up.

What are you going to/did you do?