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Oregon Family Magazine

Pamper Yourself This Mother’s Day

04/30/2021 ● By Pam Moore
As a mom, you’re thinking of other people constantly. Why not use Mother’s Day to pamper yourself for a change? According to Meriam Webster pamper means, “to treat with extreme or excessive care and attention.” What would you do if you had a whole day to indulge in whatever you wanted—without worrying about what anyone else wanted? It’s mind-boggling, I know. Here are some ideas to help you plan your day.

1| Get Moving
Not having enough time is one of the
top ten reasons people cite for not exercising. But what if you had ample time to devote to yourself, without the pressures of family, work, and the never-ending piles of laundry. You’d have time to exercise, enjoy a long, hot shower, and even blow out your hair afterward. 

Exercise doesn’t have to be a punishing sweat-fest, nor does it have to be done regularly to make you feel good. Research shows that moderate exercise can make you noticeably happier and more relaxed—immediately. Just spending time outside has benefits ranging from better sleep to improved mood

If you’re not a regular exerciser—or if you’re a hardcore fitness buff who could stand to step back from an intense regimen—consider the following lower intensity activities:
-Go for a walk or a hike
-Paddle in a canoe
-Explore your city by bike
-Check out a yoga class
-Try tai chi or Qigong

If you are a fitness junkie who enjoys pushing your body’s limits, Mother’s Day is just as good a day as any to get out of your comfort zone. You could:
-Try Aerial Yoga, hot yoga, or any type of yoga you’ve never  before
-Sign up for a CrossFit competition
-Seek out a monster hill and run or ride your bike up it. 

2| Rejuvenate
Mother’s Day is the perfect day to leave the pampering to a professional. If you feel like you’re constantly moving, take time to slow down. Or maybe even lie down. You could indulge in:
-a manicure and/or pedicure
-massage
-a facial
-a haircut, color and/ or a blowout
-acupuncture
-reiki

3| Learn something new
If your family wants to give you something, remember that a gift doesn’t necessarily have to come in a package. One of the best gifts I’ve ever received was a spot a writing workshop. You can nurture your mind this Mother’s Day by taking a class. You could advance your skills in an area with which you’re already comfortable, or you could learn something entirely new. Consider taking a class in: 
-Sewing
-Pottery
-Photography
-A musical instrument
-Dance
-Spanish
-Cooking
-Public Speaking
-Car maintenance
-Acting
-Coding
-Astronomy

… or any other thing you’ve been meaning to try.

4| Take yourself on a date
Mother’s Day is an opportunity to plan the perfect date—with yourself. You don’t have to worry about what anyone else wants. Go where you want to go, eat what you’d like to eat, and do what you want to do. 

It could be as simple as taking a long bath at home with a candle, a magazine, and a cup of tea. Maybe your dream date is a long walk with your favorite podcast or your best friend. Maybe it’s ice cream with your kids, your partner, and your mom or your mother-in-law. It doesn’t matter what it is, as long as it’s what you want. 

Other “date” ideas you might want to try:
-Hitting a coffee shop with a good book
-Going on a meditation retreat for a day or overnight
-Taking a trip to the mall
-Sleeping in
-Seeing a movie
-Lingering at a bookstore or the library
-Happy Hour on the patio of your favorite restaurant
-Take your mom, your daughter, or your best mom friends to your local
Listen To Your Mother show

When I think of pampering, I tend to imagine a fancy spa with expensive, plush bathrobes and glasses of expensive champagne. But it’s important to remember that pampering—treating with excessive care and attention—can mean dozens of different things, and they don’t necessarily have to cost a lot of money. 

This Mother’s Day ask yourself, what would feel good to me right now? The flight attendant’s instructions to put on our own oxygen masks before assisting others in the event of an emergency aircraft landing applies to moms, too. We are better at work, at home, and wherever we are, when we nurture ourselves first—on Mother’s Day and every day.

This article was originally published on Parent Co