Self-care can sometimes feel like another thing on the ‘to do’ list.
But it really is just time out and space for yourself a moment to let yourself feel calm and to switch off for a bit.
Finding time to nurture my creativity, to find a space where I’m not going to be working and not attending to the needs of others, can be a challenge.
I find it difficult to prioritise this at times, but when I look at doing things that I enjoy and keeping me healthy, such as yoga, listening to music, art, spending time with family or friends, then self-care is easier to achieve.
I think it’s the idea that I have to ‘rest’ or ‘relax’ that I find hard, because I tend to be a bit of a ‘doer’ and can find it hard to only do one thing at a time.
However this is where my practice of mindfulness meditation becomes important, because it forces me to do just that. Not to do anything but be in the moment and let all the plans and activity just stop for a minute or two. And when I do it, I feel really good and refreshed.
Self-care is such a unique thing for each individual, but an important thing to consider in amongst the pressures of work, school and family. And particularly this year, when stress has been an ongoing presence for many of us, but more-so in Victoria.
Ability to attend to self-care may have been affected by the restrictions of the usual activities that may have formed your self-care routine. So it does mean we need to think about it a bit more and make sure we find ways that help our body and brain to reset.
So what does self-care look like for you? Do you have to schedule it in, or have you found ways to attend to it as part of your usual life routine, without too much effort?
Whatever it is, we know that it’s important to ensure stress levels do not get so high that we end up in a very bad place mentally, emotionally and physically.
So choose one little way to give your body and mind some love today.
Kate x
(Photo: Henley Beach early 2020, how much I miss the ocean, but looking back at favourite pictures, brings happy memories to mind!)
Kate French 