I’m pretty good at noticing when my phone needs a charger. Recognizing when I need one? That has taken a little more practice.

Maybe you know the feeling. You’re keeping up with work, checking on your people, and remembering what everyone needs. Somewhere in all of that, your own battery starts getting low.

And you keep going.

For a long time, I worried about being enough for everyone around me. Taking time for myself came with a running list of what I should be doing instead. Even when I took a break, the guilt usually came along.

Over the past few years, I’ve been learning to include myself in that care.

A few years ago, I started a Facebook group called “Be Your Best Self!” I had been reading books, working on my self-talk, and finding inspiration in the idea that I could be kinder to myself. Friends were having similar experiences, and I wanted a community of moms who understood.

We loved our people. We had responsibilities. We also had that familiar feeling that, somehow, we still weren’t doing enough.

We’ve all heard the advice about putting your own oxygen mask on first. Or, in everyday terms, remembering to charge your own battery. We’re pretty good at noticing when our phones need plugging in. I’m learning to pay that same attention to myself.

Sometimes recharging looks like a morning walk. Sometimes it’s talking through a hard day with someone who listens. And sometimes it’s giving yourself permission to pause while there are still things on the to-do list.

I got some practice with that last one recently.

It had been an emotionally demanding week at work, with changes and things I needed to wrap up before I quite felt ready. After a rough night’s sleep, I woke up feeling worn out.

When Dan suggested we take a Dandi day (combo of Dan & Wendi), I immediately said yes.

I recognized that what was waiting could actually wait.

Then we went out and enjoyed our day.

Disney Springs. Lunch. Holiday LEGO sets and matching pajamas. Meeting up with friends. A spontaneous day together that I hadn’t realized how much I needed.

A few years ago, I would have spent most of that day worrying about disappointing someone or being unavailable when somebody needed me.

This time, I didn’t feel guilty.

That might sound like a small thing. For me, it was something worth noticing.

When I first started thinking about this post, I struggled to name a little win from the week. My head was so full of work that nothing came to mind. But as I talked it through, I started recognizing the everyday things that mattered to me.

Most mornings, it’s getting some movement in. Usually a two-mile walk, sometimes strength exercises or a quick Peloton ride. It jump-starts my day and gives me a little goal. I notice the difference when I miss it.

At the end of the day, it’s meeting Dan in our bar room for a cheers and a glass of wine. We catch up, talk things through, listen, and laugh. That time together is something I look forward to.

I’m learning to give those moments credit alongside the bigger accomplishments.

I’m still someone who overthinks. I can stew over things that probably aren’t a big deal to anyone but me. Talking helps. A fresh perspective helps. “Control what you can control” is a reminder I come back to often.

Some days I do that better than others. I’m trying to be gentler with myself on the days I struggle.

And I can still make room for something good while I’m figuring the rest out.

My needs deserve a place in the day, too. So do yours.

We can start small: a few minutes outside, something we enjoy, a kinder response to our own tired reflection. Each time we make room for ourselves, we practice treating ourselves like someone who matters.

I let myself have a day with Dan. On another day, it might be getting out for my walk or giving myself credit for what I managed to do.

Those little wins count. I’m learning to count them.

What’s one small way you could make room for yourself this week?