Self-Care
Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including YOU. Anne Lamott
Recently, as a part of a research project, I interviewed 8 people who serve in helping professions and one of the questions I asked them was to identify the self-care practices that are helpful to them. I was surprised when 2 out of the 8 interviewees had not heard of the term self-care. Self-care is such a buzz word in our culture and so I wrongly assumed everyone participating in the research project would have this word as part of their vernacular. So I explained to these participants that self-care is the way we feed and nurture our mind, body, and spirit. Even though I had to explain my understanding of this word, every participant in the study did have ways to nurture themselves and they shared that their self-care practices inform how able they are to provide care to people who are suffering. The people I interviewed shared with me that self-care is important because:
- We can’t give what we don’t have
- Self-care keeps us from becoming jaded
- We become more effective as we do that
- There is a strong connection between self-care and the ability to be present
In my own my life, I am aware of how depleted I become when I don’t offer myself adequate self-care. If I am not practicing the art of receiving, I don’t have much to give to others. We can’t offer much to our families, friends, co-workers, faith group, and community when we are empty. So, how do you fill up your gas-tank? How do you feed your soul? What is your self-care plan? Perhaps it includes:
- Friendship
- Prayer/Meditation
- Yoga
- Counseling
- Exercise
- Movies
- Music/Singing
- Hiking/Walking
- Adequate sleep
- Rest
- Space to feel
- Journaling
- Family time
- A support group
- A vacation
- Humor and laughter
- The practice of gratitude
- Silence
- Reading
- Gardening
- Continuing education
- Connecting with children
- Eating enjoyable foods
- Date nights
- Worship
- Being playful and silly
- Dancing
- Manicure/Pedicure
- Massage
- Coffee/Tea break
So what do you do to refresh your mind, body, and soul that is not on the list above? Sometimes we neglect self-care because we don’t feel like we have enough time for it. However, the truth is that self-care helps us to be more present, have more energy, and to feel more alive. Despite our best efforts to care for ourselves it can almost seem like we never do enough of it.
I invite you to ponder the following questions:
- What can you do today to care for yourself?
- When you listen deeply, what is your mind, body, and spirit asking you to do for yourself today?
- What are the practices that sustain and strengthen you on the journey?
- What can you do this week that is just for you?
- Is there a self-care practice you have not been doing lately that you need to pick back up?
Please do something to care for youself today. I dare you! I triple dog dare you. 🙂
Let’s commit to caring for our mind, bodies, and spirits,
Christy
