Can you list 3-5 Positive Qualities about yourself?

Hello and greetings on this Friday morning!

Just checking in to see what you have planned for this weekend?  A little creative activity?  I have something for you to ponder. 

I am participating in a group where we are reflecting for 52 weeks about ourselves and journaling what we discover.  I joined thinking this would be a good experience for me since I am starting a new chapter in my life.  I am reminded daily just how busy we can become with work and "life" that we loose sight of what is really important.  I must take care of myself in order to be able to encourage others.

The question we were to answer for Week #3 is "What 3-5 Positive Qualities do you value within yourself?"  I have been thinking on this now for over a week.  If you are like me, you don't really focus on yourself much.  You are too busy getting ready for work, thinking about work, driving to work, WORKING, trying to leave work on time, driving home from work, getting home to get ready to go to bed so that you can be to work on time and start the process all over again.  Wow, I am tired already and all I did was spend a couple of seconds typing.  But I realized something, through all this busyness ... where is there time for ME?  Just me?

Whoops, time out folks.  God did not make me to fill my days with WORK.  Yes, I know it is best to not have idle hands and keep busy.  But there is a fine line that if we are not careful we can cross.  I have spent nearly 40 years being a wife and a mother.  Most every day was filled with trying to balance it all and having little time to myself.  I don't regret one minute of those days either but somehow, somewhere along the way ... I have lost ME.

My life has changed over the last year slowly and I realize more today the importance of taking time for me.  I was so busy being a wife and a mother that I did not take the needed time to keep MY identity.  Sure, I did little things here and there, felt immense guilt over just getting together with friends to share a coke, dinner or a movie.  You are probably thinking why is this so important ... why is she sharing this ... and HOW does it relate to this question about positive qualities?  Here is why ...

If you have to take a full week because you don't remember what those qualities are then you are too busy.  Stop, take a deep breath, close your eyes, have a quiet time for 5 minutes.  (Yes, you can take 5 minutes.)  Remember back to when you were just you.  Is it so far away that you are having trouble remembering that person?  You are unique and important.  Invest in yourself, feed your needs, and realize that it is okay to put yourself first every once in a while.  Don't loose sight of You.

I'll share my findings this weekend ... stay tuned for more.

P.S.  Thanks Melissa Robinson for #reflect52 visit her at www.mlisrobinson.com