Hmmm....Morning Workout or Quiet Morning on Couch with Coffee While Child Sleeps In a Bit Longer....

As I sit here feeling a little 'fluffy' and wanting to go to the gym I also realize that my daughter is still asleep.....what to do, what to do?! I look at the clock, it's still semi early but the gym only has child watch for a limited time on Saturday mornings so I would have to try to get out the door in the next fifteen minutes so I could squeak out a rushed yet decent workout. So, do I rush to get myself ready and get her up, take her to the potty (we are potty training so the morning potty take anywhere from 2-22 minutes!), brush out her bed head, have her brush her teeth, feed her, and get her dressed and packed up and out the door just so I can rush to the gym and squeeze in a rushed 45 minute cardio workout OR do I savior the quiet on this beautiful morning and have a nice relaxed cup of coffee and enjoy the peace and quiet?

My daughter is two and I am just getting back into the work out scene; I am just now feeling rested enough and not so overwhelmed and not so fatigued (almost fatigued to the point of literally collapsing) that I can get back into the workout scene! This is week three of working out so I hate to skip out on the gym, I am just getting back into the groove of things and feeling good. If this was pre-child, I would not have missed my morning workout for anything! But then again if this was pre-child, I would not be in such a constant rush on a almost daily basis nor would I be so fatigued and overwhelmed day in and day out and in desperate need of a quiet morning moment (even if it is just ten minutes). I would also still be able to get up, work out, and come back home and enjoy a quiet cup of coffee while I lounged in the sun on the couch with the breeze from my window gracing my face. But I cannot do that, I have a child, who is two, so I have about a minute to make a decision.... I can still get in a decent workout and have someone there to watch my child......my time is ticking away, I am completely torn......

What did I do? I walked to the kitchen, ground some freshly roasted beans (thanks dad!), prepped the pot, waited for it, then poured a fresh brewed cup of coffee. I indulged with a splash of decadent caramel macchiato creamer and sat down to enjoyed the quiet and savior the moment.
I felt guilty for not getting to the gym but after a few moments of quiet and a few sips of coffee I realized how precious this actually was. I took advantage of the opportunity in front of me to finally have a quiet moment and sip a hot cup of coffee. This moment was so much better than rushing around and finally sipping on cold stale coffee or grabbing a cup to go from the local drive thru and sipping one of their disappointing blends...either the watered down blend or the overly bold burnt blend. So I sat there, holding my hot cup of fresh brewed coffee, letting the steam from the cup bathe my face, breathing in the aromas. With each deep breath and with each long exhale I felt the stressors of my normal every day life start to melt away. I felt my mind ease, I felt my muscles loosen, I felt my heart beat slow... It was as if time stood still for that cup of coffee. The wind seemed slower and more gentle across my face and neck, the street noises seemed to cease, everything seemed so calm outside and in. I could hear the birds, I could sense the warmth of the sun on my face, my mind was no longer racing with that days to do list or yesterdays to do list I never quite finished.

The moment didn't last too long, maybe twenty minutes but as a parent, moments like this are rare and when they present it is important to try and seize them and savior them for as long as possible. As a parent constantly on the "go! go! go!", it is imperative that you indulge in the little things when the opportunity presents; savior a cup of coffee, take the time to literally smell the flowers, indulge in a hot bath, watch your favorite show on DVR or ROKU when the children go to bed, take in the fresh air and beautiful scenery around you. This is good for so many aspects of your mental health; emotional well being, mental well being, and physical well being; and that small break, no matter how short, is good for your soul, it recharges you. So, take that time to slow it down and enjoy that morning cup of coffee when the little one(s) are sleeping in and skip the gym! The gym will be there tomorrow....the next quiet morning you get may be months away.