I was talking on the phone with my good friend Donna recently. We met almost 30 years ago in a yoga class in Arizona. In our conversation, she mentioned that she always liked how I placed fresh flowers in vases around our home. To this day, I still do. Currently, I have an old-fashioned milk bottle, an apple juice jar, and a mustard tin as containers. With dozens of rose bushes in our yard, I cut fresh flowers weekly to fill them. I love watching the stems boldly blossom then gently fade. It’s just one small gesture that helps me literally to stop and smell the roses. Walking with Robert and Kippers early in the morning and writing down my thoughts in a journal are other daily activities that are good for my soul.
I hadn’t thought of these simple rituals as self-care, but they definitely ground me and keep me well. Self-care is, as the name implies, taking care of yourself. Not just physically, mentally, and emotionally, but also on a spiritual and social level. Depending on where you are in your life, there are days when self-care seems like the last thing you have time for and can do. When major and daily life events are happening, even happy ones, self-care can take a back seat. Working full-time, changing careers, going back to school, moving, getting married, raising a family, and tending to elderly parents, just to name a few. However, carving out a little TLC time has huge rewards. Among them: better quality of life, more confidence, less stress, and increased energy.
From my journal: January 28, 1999, Fountain Hills, Arizona
“I need a break…writing and subbing in the day and going to school at night…it’s a lot.. I enjoy it all, but I am getting tired…”
Today, July 24th is International Self-Care Day. Established by The International Self-Care Foundation in the U.K. in 2011, its purpose is to raise awareness about our need to pay attention to our overall health and well-being. And it’s not just for today, but every day. Most often ignoring our need to rest and recharge has detrimental effects. Anxiety, anger, burn out, and even disease. And if you are a care giver of any kind, you know that attending to others can take precedent over caring for ourselves. But, if we’re not tending to ourselves first, at some point we’ll be tapped out. Eleanor Brown put it this way. “Rest and self-care are important. When you take time to replenish your spirit, it allows you to serve from the overflow. You can not serve from an empty vessel.”
Self-care starts with simply knowing yourself and considering your preferences. We know to keep physically fit we need nourishing food, exercise, and good sleep habits. The best part is that you can choose whatever diet, activities, and amount of sleep that works for you. Spiritual health, another tenet, may include attending church services, praying, or meditating. Perhaps all of the above, or something completely different. I remember a co-worker once talking about her husband’s spiritual practice. It was simply surfing every morning! Socializing is essential to our well-being, too. Being with those who support, guide, and love us can literally add years to our lives!
Taking time to focus on yourself on a regular basis works wonders. Quieting your mind for a few minutes, taking a long stroll, maybe going to the movies with a friend, whatever feels good to you, will be beneficial to your well-being and overall health. If time is a factor, make room in your schedule. Being the planner I am, I actually write my self-care items on my daily To Do list! It may work for you, too.
As Maya Angelou once said, “As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, and the other for helping others.” When we take care for ourselves first, we’ll not only be able to continue to give to others, but we’ll be able to put our best selves forward.
Be well, dear readers…and take care!
A Journal Journey 