When you are whole, you have enough to give
Our personal and professional state of mind can be very stressful and overwhelming, and given the current state of the country, those feelings are probably multiplied. During these times it can be very easy to lose sight on taking care of ourselves, but, though it may be easy to lose sight of it, allocating time for self-care should be a priority, and it can be easy to practice regularly.
What we should consider as self-care
Self-care should be things that aid in the health of our emotional, mental and physical well being. It may seem very simple, but that can also be the very reason why we lose sight of practicing it in our lives. Understanding and the practice of self-care is important to maintain a high levels of good mood and eliminating things that make us anxious. Once we begin taking care of ourselves, you will notice a positive impact on yourself, and overall positivity with how you interact with family, and the rest of the world.
Alternatively, self-care should not feel like a chore, it should not feel as though it is draining you or tasking you, it should in fact, be joyful. Practicing self-care should have a positive affect on your inner being, it should make you feel better after you do it, and it should grow the more you practice.
Some people feel as though taking time to take care of themselves may be selfish, truth is, if we are not doing well, it will seep into other areas of our lives. Not taking care of ourselves, leaves s vulnerable and actually disables us from being able to take care of others. I’ll go a bit further with quotes I’m sure you’ve heard, but are true.
“We need to ensure we are full, in order to share unto others”, or
“Serve from your overflow,if we are depleted, we won’t have anything to give others”
Ultimately, in an effort to have balance in our lives, we must take care of ourselves first.
How to begin incorporating self-care practices; there is no one size fits all.
Start by asking yourself what makes you feel peaceful? What activities relax and unwind you?
Are you spiritual or religious, are these topics that have ever interested you?
Do you feel better, energized and or mentally sharper after you work out?
Even though there is no one size fits all, there are some simple things I can suggest to get you started.
Make sure you are getting enough sleep for starters. If you are having a hard time falling to sleep, I suggest Melatonin, it’s a natural sleep aid.
Adults should get 7-8 hours of sleep every night.
Ensure you are staying in touch with you doctor, and making routine visits for check ups.
Listen to doctors and scientists
Wear your mask, wash your hands and practice social distancing
Stay safe for your family
Determine relaxation exercises that have positive results for you
I enjoy meditation and connecting with God daily
Physical exercise – I enjoy 30 to 45 minutes of exercise; it doesn’t need to be 45 minutes, start with 15 to 30 and work your way up.
On 1 day, do cardio
Alternate day, do weights
Starts with 4 to 5 times a week
Spend time with family and friends (physically when we can, post COVID19)
During COVID, try screen sharing apps like;
FaceTime on iPhones
Fun activities – find out the activities you can do that bring a smile to your face, things that make you feel warm and enjoy life.
I enjoyed going the movies and dinners
During COVID, it's Netflix, and cooking nice meals, setting a fancy table.
Find the things that help you enjoy life.
I will continue to share topics and activities to help in your journey, until then, take care of yourselves!
