Self Care
There are days - or whole seasons of life - where we feel unwell or exhausted. The irony is, during those times self care often seems unattainable. We are already tired and to try to figure out what we need and how to get it just feels like another task. I experienced this myself as a new mom: tired, my body needing some TLC, I knew I needed care! But it was hard to identify exactly what kind, or how to get it, or who to ask, or how much it would cost me.
The first step of self care is acknowledging you are worth it. Your heart, mind and body are all valuable and worthy of loving attention. We are whole beings, and when one part of us suffers all the others parts are affected. Athletes know this: if you injure one part of your body other parts start to compensate, or feel the effects. The opposite is also true: the compound nature of self care is astonishing! I see this every day: when a person begins to care for their emotions and interior world their bodies naturally respond by feeling healthier, more capable and more resilient.
Research shows our immune systems are deeply effected by a lack of self care, or stress. This article succinctly describes the dangers of excess stress.
There are countless sources and websites that list ideas for self care, and in many ways these lists are the same as lists that tell you how to manage your stress.
1. Practice deep, slow breathing – perhaps try yoga
2. Eat a balanced and delicious diet
3. Laugh! Play!
4. Cultivate your close friendships
5. Get sufficient sleep
6. Move your body during the day
There are endless options! And its worth taking the time to consider what self care feels like for you. One small move towards one simple loving change will have ripple effects.
For me as a new mom, it was getting a babysitter for a few hours a week simply to create some space to figure out what it was I needed. Just creating that intentional time to pay attention to my needs was the first act of self care, before I’d even taken a yoga class or enjoyed a massage. Maybe self care for you at this juncture is that: simply carve out a few moments where you can ask yourself “what do I need right now?”
Rachel Lund started Self Space out of the deep belief in the power of therapy to change people’s lives from the inside out. Her hope is to help people find more safety, care and love in their lives. Rachel is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Clinical Supervisor in Washington state, and focuses on treating clients through a neuropsychotherapy approach to therapy that connects mind+body.