Self-Care: What have you done for you lately?

soulareclipse said:
Aww, Pin...why you no care for you? It sounds like you're under a lot of pressure. All that working and studying will turn you into a human doing instead of a human being. Did you get that beer?

These are all really awesome ideas. @neko, your post-therapy ice cream cone tradition made me smile and feel all fuzzy.



I've done this many a time, except with a different drink. I think you must be my spirit animal. :laughing:



Maybe this isn't what you mean by "get it right", but I don't think there is any particularly right way to self-care. As long as you're doing it, you're getting it right. :blush: All of the things that have been mentioned here so far count; it can be something as simple as blowing off steam by playing video games all day on a Saturday (I know from experience lol) or soaking in a hot bath, or some of the not-so-easy stuff like forgiving oneself for not meeting your own impossible standards or letting go of a toxic relationship/friendship. It sounds like you're doing a fine job at self-care. :<3yellow:
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aw, i'm glad! :<3purple:
 
JamieUK92 said:
@soulareclipse aww you come across as someone who just radiates positive energy. There is nothing more soothing than spending time around people with good energy.

Are you a natural healer or as anyone ever told you so? :relaxed:
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Wowwww. Oh my goodness, thank you, Jamie! I'm just beaming now lol. That is one of the nicest things anyone has said to me lately. The best part is that I'm not even consciously aware of the fact that I do this. Building others up has always just felt so natural for me. This ties into your question, which actually made me gasp and go "Whoooaaaa!" Yes, I have been told that I have natural healing abilities. As a matter of fact, I'm very interested in Reiki as a healing practice because it just feels like it would come very naturally to me. From the time I was a little girl, I've always been very aware of and in tune with the energy of everything around me...not just people, but also environments and situations, as well as the universal energy that flows through all there is. I've never been through Reiju, the attunement ritual necessary to become a practitioner, but lately I've been thinking about finding a reputable Reiki Master to perform this ritual with me. I actually sat back in my chair when I read your question. :screamcat:
 
soulareclipse said:
Wowwww. Oh my goodness, thank you, Jamie! I'm just beaming now lol. That is one of the nicest things anyone has said to me lately. The best part is that I'm not even consciously aware of the fact that I do this. Building others up has always just felt so natural for me. This ties into your question, which actually made me gasp and go "Whoooaaaa!" Yes, I have been told that I have natural healing abilities. As a matter of fact, I'm very interested in Reiki as a healing practice because it just feels like it would come very naturally to me. From the time I was a little girl, I've always been very aware of and in tune with the energy of everything around me...not just people, but also environments and situations, as well as the universal energy that flows through all there is. I've never been through Reiju, the attunement ritual necessary to become a practitioner, but lately I've been thinking about finding a reputable Reiki Master to perform this ritual with me. I actually sat back in my chair when I read your question. :screamcat:
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You should definitely do it! I have a good feeling about you :wink:

People like you restore my faith in humanity :grinning:
 
JamieUK92 said:
Male Jamie’s from the UK are about as cool as you are going to get on the scale of sheer coolness :sunglasses:
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JamieUK92 said:
You should definitely do it! I have a good feeling about you :wink:

People like you restore my faith in humanity :grinning:
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ASLDKJF! Thank you! I don't even know what to say.

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JamieUK92 said:
Male Jamie’s from the UK are about as cool as you are going to get on the scale of sheer coolness :sunglasses:
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:laughing: I believe you! Both you and @Deleted member 16771 are batting a thousand in the cool-dudes-named-Jamie-in-the-UK department. :yum:
 
soulareclipse said:
Maybe this isn't what you mean by "get it right", but I don't think there is any particularly right way to self-care. As long as you're doing it, you're getting it right. :blush: All of the things that have been mentioned here so far count; it can be something as simple as blowing off steam by playing video games all day on a Saturday (I know from experience lol) or soaking in a hot bath, or some of the not-so-easy stuff like forgiving oneself for not meeting your own impossible standards or letting go of a toxic relationship/friendship. It sounds like you're doing a fine job at self-care. :<3yellow:
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Thanks @soulareclipse. I spend a lot of my energy on other-care and spinning my wheels resisting doing what's good for me (I think that might be what some people here call "grip"?) I'm a single mom with four kids (okay, two at home still, two newly grown, all still needing support in various ways), active in my community as a volunteer and leader, actively connecting with and emotionally supporting a number of friends, self-employed and sort of right on the line of being able to pay my bills (stress!), while also following an artistic passion, living with chronic physical challenges that require attention and rest and PT, and so forth. The piece I most often subvert is self-care.

I think there are two categories of self-care that I try to engage with regularly.

First is what you and others seem to be describing: Setting aside obligations/responsibilities and just chilling out for awhile doing something I enjoy that is healthy. I would say the hour I spent on the couch eating a pile of chocolate and watching Netflix wasn't maybe the self-care I needed most today. Once in awhile, yes, but I tend to go to that more than to exercise or creative pursuits even when I enjoy both of those things.

Second is actually sticking to the routine (exercise, healthy eating, rest/sleep) and also proactively getting my work done (personal, business, community, etc.) so that I won't fall behind and freak out and do the unhealthy stuff in procrastination of the necessary stuff. Once the routine feels like an obligation, I have a hard time doing it, even if it is admirably self-care driven.

In the interest of good, healthy self-care, I've set my weekly routine so that I have time carved out for that second category. And then I thwart it with things like "Ooh, it's such a sparkly day; I should drop everything and go for a walk in the woods!" or "Wow, that was a long walk. Now I need a nap. Can't even think about work at the moment," or "I'm having too much fun answering emails to stop and do my PT exercises (even though I know the odds go down that PT will get done if I put it off until later AND my body will feel better if I do it)," or "Gah! So many feelings! Must journal for an hour instead of billing my clients so I can get paid!"

Self-sabotage...maybe that is another thread topic? For me, it's unfortunately all twisted up with self-care.

So, when I say "getting it right," I mean, doing the healthy kinds of self-care and not the oppositional/rebellion kinds.

Thankfully every day is a fresh start.
 
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soulareclipse said:
Aww, Pin...why you no care for you? It sounds like you're under a lot of pressure. All that working and studying will turn you into a human doing instead of a human being. Did you get that beer?
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I don't really "take care of myself" because I'm eager to get things done. Right now, my professional plans are the most important thing. I expect that to be true for the next five years or so.

After this "pain" period, I intend to shift my focus to the more charming side of life: dating, beach trips, and museums.

Oh yeah, I had wine.
 
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Pin said:
I don't really "take care of myself" because I'm eager to get things done. Right now, my professional plans are the most important thing. I expect that to be true for the next five years or so.

After this "pain" period, I intend to shift my focus to the more charming side of life: dating, beach trips, and museums.

Oh yeah, I had wine.
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Fair enough. Self-care means different things from one person to another so maybe this is your version of it. Just curious - do you ever worry that you'll spend all these years getting your life lined out just so, only to look back and feel you missed out on some of the more charming things in life?
 
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