Self Care

Why self care? Everyone needs to be taken good care of. Sometimes people don’t have anyone to take care of them. It doesn’t mean, though, that they cannot get the TLC they need.

We’re like machines. We need good maintenance otherwise we break down. There are basic things we all need - good food, water, exercise, shelter and rest. But we also need happiness. Feeling miserable brings us down and makes us ill.

Because we are all different, we all need different things to make us happy, and while people around us might think they know us well - and some might - they do not know us as well as we know ourselves. They might know what makes us happy, and might endeavour to do things to make us happy, but, in that department, we are the ones who know best. We know how we truly feel, they don’t.

This is why it is so important that we take care of ourselves, outside AND inside. To recognise what makes us happy and true to ourselves, it is OUR job. Without it, we cannot function the way we are meant to. And how can you take good care of others if you do not take good care of yourself first? The basic principle of health and safety in case of danger is never put yourself at risk; put the oxygen mask on before going to save other people.

Thinking about yourself and making the time to take good care of yourself is not selfish. On the contrary. It is ensuring that we are happy and well enough, the best we can be, to help others around us and make a positive difference to their lives. And also leading by example.

I invite you to reflect on self care for you, by journaling on the following questions. This will help you assess where your self care plan is at, what you have in place, and what you need.

• How do we do self care?
• Why don’t I do it?
• What works best for me for self care?
• What does tired feel like?
• What does overwhelm feel like?
• What could rested and renewed feel like?
• What could peace feel like?
• What do I expect of myself that I shouldn’t expect?
• What do I currently have in place for my self care?
• What routines in my life are supporting my self care?
• What routines in my life are detrimental to my self care?
• How can I change my detrimental routines? If they cannot be changed (eg. work, family, financial commitments), how can I deal with them in a way that will reduce the damage to my self care? What do I need to achieve this? Who can help me?
• What do I need more of in my self care?
• How do I want to feel every single day of my life?