The BrandProv Blog

“Check yourself before your wreck yourself.” – Ice Cube

I was in Cancun last weekend for my friends bachelorette party.   It was a blast.  Lots of laughs, libations and pool time.

One afternoon while in the pool, doing what us girls do best … talking … we got on the subject of Motherhood, one of our home-girls just had her first baby.

She was talking about her son and the concept of a good old fashioned “time out”.  We were talking about how all kids need to be “checked” from time to time and that sometimes a “time out” is necessary.   No one wants to raise a spoiled brat right?!

Anyway … as we were discussing I proceeded today … “same goes for adults … we need time outs too!”

Don’t we all need a “time out” from time to time?!  A few minutes to regroup, check our bad behavior and let go of the temper tantrum.

Lord knows I do.

I can absolutely mis-behave.  I throw temper tantrums. Sometimes I even kick my feet.

Honestly, I should put myself in time out more often.

So it got me thinking … do we as adults put ourselves in “time out” enough?!

Here are some reasons why you should:

1. You just had a meltdown:  Ice Cube nailed it.  You betta check yourself!  Lock yourself in the bathroom, hide away in your bedroom or (my personal favorite) turn the walk in closet into a “time out” chamber.  A few minutes alone … to breathe and reflect on the situation will help you realize that in the scheme of things … it’s likely not that bad.  I always try to think:  In 5 hours, 5 days, 5 years.  Will it matter?!  There are so many people going through so much worse.
2. You want to throw the Facebook machine through a wall:  As much as I love my social media, there is a time to step away.  It’s so easy to obsess over what everyone else is doing.  Engagements, babies, trips, new houses, holidays, parties, career success, fitness accomplishments.  While all of this is AH-mazing … it’s easy to feel not good enough if your in a different place in your life.  Facebook is not our reality … YOU are your reality.  Remember that YOU are enough and never doubt your awesomeness. Step way from social media for a while if you need to re-group.
3. You’re not having fun:  One of my favorite things I learned in Improv is this:  “If your not having fun, your the asshole!”  True in Improv, True in Life.  So if your not having fun, stop being an asshole and put yourself in time out.  Come back out when your ready to play nice and get in the game.
4. You need to de-stress:  Who doesn’t need to de-stress. Work, life, money, health, family.  We all have so many balls spinning in the air.  Before you go cray-cray on someone … put yourself in check and breathe deep.   A time out can even be something healthy like a walk or exercise.  One of my favorite ways to calm my mind.  Head and health go hand in hand!
5. You want to go Chuck Norris on someone: Just like we learned as kids, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”  For reals.  So if you are feeling like your about to snap on someone and say some not so nice things you’ll never be able to take back.   Hustle your booty over to time out and shut the door.   This too shall pass.