This post is brought to you by Ghirardelli Intense Dark™ Chocolate
Milestone birthdays have always been about where I am in life and where I see myself going in the future. Admittedly, most of these birthdays have had more of a psychological impact on me than anything else. When I turned 25 years old I remember thinking how I was “officially” in my mid-twenties and how being engaged at that time seemed exactly where I was supposed to be. It was time to say good-bye to my wild ways (which weren’t really very wild at all) and hello to married life. I felt mentally prepared to settle down and start a new chapter in my life. Then the following year I turned 26 and I actually felt a little sad because I was “officially” in my late-twenties. Turning 30 years old was a big turning point for me.
By this time I was a mom of two young daughters. Mothering in those early years was both challenging and exhilarating all at once. All I wanted to do was to be the best mom possible. I took my role as a mother so seriously that somehow I confused being a good mother with meaning I had to sacrifice myself and my needs in the process. It wasn’t until my son was born I realized it was okay to give myself permission to take care of me without feeling guilty. I no longer needed to be a martyr to everyone’s needs.
I’m turning 38 years old the end of the month and I’ve been reflecting a lot about the last 8 years and how much has changed, especially when it comes to taking care of myself. What I’ve learned over these years is how important it is to serve others from a place of overflow. In other words, when I take care of myself in a little self-nurturing, it is the equivalent of filling up an invisible energy tank inside of me. It enables me to take care of others without feeling drained. When I feel overwhelmed and let myself go, my tank becomes empty and serving others on fumes can feel like a slippery slope I prefer to avoid.
Knowing my forties are just around the corner I’ve made it priority to indulge in little doses of self-nurturing on a regular basis. One of the ways I accomplish this is by carving out a nightly quiet time for me after the kids have gone to sleep. A typical late night usually involves a little bit of good quality chocolate, music, reading, journaling, and a time of reflection.
Quite honestly, late night evenings around here are more like personal, private mini-retreats. Some people like to indulge in a glass of wine before bed; however I start my late nights by reaching for a familiar rectangular bar on the top shelf in my bedroom closet. This is one of a few places I stash chocolate for the purpose of hiding from my kids so I can enjoy it for myself. I indulge in a little bit of chocolate every evening when the kids are sleeping and the house is quiet. I’ve been doing this since they were babies. There is something sacred about a quiet moment in a still environment which otherwise is always full of activity. The late night stillness is a natural invitation to slow down and take a few minutes to calm my thoughts and give myself permission to enjoy a couple hours to myself. Getting to enjoy a piece (or two) of nightly chocolate has become a ritual I look forward to at the end of the day as a gift to myself.
Recently I was sent several bars of a new line of dark chocolate from one of my favorite chocolate companies. Ghiradelli Intense Dark ™ Chocolate is the perfect way to begin my nightly personal time to indulge in. During this past week I’ve been sampling all their different flavors and I must say the Ghiradelli Sea Salt Soiree (dark chocolate with sea salt and finely chopped almonds) is my favorite. The slight hit of sea salt combined with dark chocolate and almonds has become a guilty-pleasure of mine. Chocolate lovers will appreciate the details of each bar on the back of the packaging with tasting notes and description of each variety.
I remember hearing a couple years ago that being in your forties was the new twenties. However, as for me I’m embracing my late thirties as the beginning of the best years yet to come which includes indulging in life’s little chocolate pleasures.
Anyone else care to share how you indulge in taking care of yourself? I would love to know!
Every men in the world like chocolates.. I can say! it is the most delicious in the world
I definitely agree with Stephen. Why should women have all the chocolates? A lot of guys like eating chocolate too.
Men like chocolate too! 🙂
These look absolutely delicious! I’m a chocolate fanatic. The problem with me is that I don’t just limit it to just late at night 🙂
Sounds like we are like minded women! The best part about the evenings when the kids go to bed for me is the dark chocolate that accompanies a relaxing show or book. Sea Salt Soiree and Toffee Interlude used to be my two best friends, until I found out about my bummer food sensitivities… now i search out dark chocolate high and low that I can have. I’ve found a couple bars that work, but how I miss Ghirardelli!!! I hope someday they’ll make a bar with out allergens… it’s a long shot I know, but I can wish for it still 🙂
Thanks for sharing. Ciao
Thanks, everyone, for new ideas for where to hide my chocolate! My favorite is the fair trade 72% from TJ’s and I’ve been hiding it in a locked cabinet in the kitchen. Well, just this week my super sly 4 y.o. son figured out how to open the lock! And I can’t put it up high because he’s a climber, so I just wasn’t sure where I could keep it! I guess it will go to my room, which is my little sanctuary anyway.
I hide my chocolate too :). Dark chocolate is my weakness and it’s like gold to me. One of my favorite indulgences is Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds with Sea Salt & Turbinado Sugar—heaven!
Every Wednesday night I leave the house and go somewhere by myself. This helps keep me sane!
You are one smart woman. Time for yourself is what I am very bad about. And just for the record:My mom hid her giant Hershey bar in her underwear drawer. How my brother discovered it, I’ll never know.
I only use Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips for my choc. chip cookies – the best ! and they’re so good (and bigger than regular choc. chips), I don’t need to use the whole package (which is usually necessary as we’ll have already eaten at least a third of the bag 🙂
I hear you! When I was 25+, I was like…where did all fabulous years go? Then, suddenly feel shy away from adding candles on birthday cake (though I’m still in my late 20’s/ early 30’s). Ghiradelli Sea Salt Soiree is also my favorite – sweet + salty is awesome.
I am a HUGE fan of Ghiradelli’s, and darker the better. 🙂 I also think baking with good quality chocolate makes a difference in baked good as well.
I can’t wait to try the cabernet matinee!