You Deserve Self-Care
Friday, June 02, 2017
Self-care
is the time/energy/space we give ourselves to recharge spent internal
"batteries". These are the things that bring us joy and give us back the
energy we need to fulfill our daily responsibilities. Self care also
has the power to help us build our mental and emotional resilience.
So with all of these benefits, why wouldn't someone make self-care part of their routine?
The
biggest challenges I have seen (and experienced personally) are time
and societal pressure. And to some, self-care might seem selfish- which is
definitely not true!
I
know it can be difficult to find (or make) the time for self-care
activities (which could mean doing nothing at all!). I have often looked
down at my daily schedule and wondered when I will be able to catch my
breath. Take a moment to think about the last time you scheduled 15-30
minutes for yourself to just BE. This could be in the morning before
work, after the kids have gone to bed, or during lunchtime. I know this
self-care time might be a luxury for some, but I encourage you to really
look at your schedule to see when you might be able to find 15 minutes,
if not once a day, then maybe once every other day.
Societal
pressure can be challenging too. So many of us have taken to using
"busy" as a badge of honor. If your day isn't packed from the time you
wake up until the time you go to bed, you must be slacking. Self-care
activities are sometimes seen as indulgent or time wasting.
In reality, by engaging in self care, we can contribute to our well-being, increase our ability to handle difficult situations, and
better support others when the need arises.
If
you are not currently engaging in self-care, take a minute to imagine
what it would look like. Imagine what you would do, when you could do
it, and what might be different about your life if you were able to
carve out that time for yourself. You deserve it.
If you're looking for a way to get started, here is a list of 10 free self-care activities:
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