Retail therapy works! I am not a shopaholic, as a matter of fact a lot of the clothes in my closet are older than my grandson who graduates from high school this spring. However, a recent conversation at a CarePartner’s meeting was about how long it had been since any of us had gone shopping for ourselves. I had to admit that I couldn’t remember the last time I went to a clothing store simply for the fun of it. It was not a high need and never quite fit into my current life.

The conversation bounced around in my head for weeks before I finally decided to act on it. I had to admit that it was beyond time for me to do something just for me. It then became a process of trying to figure out a timeframe to minimize disruption to our schedule. Wednesday mornings are good for us because my husband participates in a seated Zoom class for an hour before lunch. It is a safe experience for him and one that he can do without help. I normally use that time for chores around the house, but realized this could be my only window of opportunity so I took advantage of it. We live close to a mall and that hour was just what I needed. Following a successful shopping adventure, I picked up lunch on the way home making it a treat for both of us.

It didn’t matter whether I found any new clothes or not that day, what mattered was going out alone to do something just for me. Around the house I am always on alert. I put my husband’s needs first because that is how I define my role as CarePartner. Being able to walk away, even for an hour, was challenging because it was outside of my comfort zone. Even more difficult was having an agenda that was all about me, yet it was wonderful. I have decided to work this into my schedule at least once a month. It won’t always be clothes shopping but it will always be just about me, which is really what I need the most.