Taking Care

Quite often, I read in magazines that working moms need to make time to take care of themselves.  Lots of hours at work, lots of hours looking after home and kids, so they must make time for their own well-being.  I realized today that taking care of me is no less important when I am between jobs, and unlike many times when I'd forge through, today, I took actual steps for myself.
 
With unanswered cover letters and rumors of online TV spinning in my head, I was not in a great state this morning. It could have been a grim day at the computer, but before it became that, I stopped long enough to look out for my own well-being.  I scheduled errands to get me outside, and for the icing on the cake, I called a friend about having coffee. And when I was hungry by the time I got to coffee, I took care of myself enough to go for the protein smoothie.
 
Freelancing so often ends up meaning denying your own needs. After all, if no money is coming in right now, none should be going out, right?  The problem is, if the by-product of too much denying yourself is staring blankly at job prospects, then what is really gained?  Doesn't the ability to take care of yourself as well as the people around you make you a better job candidate?
 
I don't know for sure whether I went through this whole thought process today before I arranged the errands and the coffee.  I do know, though, that I was a different person when I returned from my outing.  The computer was still there. Perhaps some of the stress was too.  But with a smoothie and several hours of good conversation under my belt, I was ready to face it all again.