 Self-care is imperative these days. Who doesn’t need a little TLC? After all, it has been quite a year. Pandemics, fight for social justice, climate change events, the list goes on. We are just trying to keep our heads above it all. And feeling like we are sucked under at every turn. So it is important to take care of ourselves. If we are feeling depleted, we have nothing to share with those around us.
The balance of wellness in our 5 areas of life doesn't mean it has to take place all in one day. The first thing that comes to mind when saying self-care - is exercise. An unhealthy body is an energy drain. All our time and focus may be drawn to pain and seeking personal assistance to manage it. What can we engage in for self-care for our physical wellness? You may already have a regular exercise program. You may be struggling during the pandemic as gyms and your usual exercise methods have been restricted. Perhaps you are not a fan of running, weights, or cycling for example. How can you move your body? Yoga is something that is often overlooked. Especially if you have not been active for a long time. Did you know there is chair yoga? It can be a wonderful workout that is an alternative to getting on the yoga mat. Your body is supported and may even allow you to reach deeper into some poses then you might not have been able to manage otherwise. Tai chi is another exercise which blends movement, stretching, and mindfulness into one exercise. There are plenty of videos online to choose from. Be creative and playful and find a variety of new ways to move your body. Being social is another excellent addition to your self-care practice. I know we are all feeling the loss of being able to hug our friends and join them in our favourite social places. Connection with friends and loved ones has become a center of attention during this pandemic. I for one realized how much I missed the in-person social interactions. Having moved provinces in the past 2 years, I kept my friendships alive through video and phone calls. I wanted to have a personal connection in my new community and I was able to pivot and create new local connections online. Technology has played an important part in people learning to embrace new ways of connecting to family and friends. It opened our minds to a new way of visiting when travel has been restricted. Weddings, birthdays, and special celebrations have taken on an exciting new way until we can meet in persona again. It is important to mention here that Zoom fatigue is real. Once again we are reminded to have balance in everything. Limit your online social interactions or at least sprinkle them throughout your week rather than jamming them into one day. Mental health awareness is at an all-time high during these crisis times. It is important to have a way to check in with yourself and others, to be aware of the toll that comes with self-isolation and social distancing. Depression and anxiety may be something you have never experienced before and now are feeling the effects of it. For others, this may be an added layer to what you already experience daily. How are you coping? There may be days you feel like sitting and binging on Netflix is a way to soothe yourself. And I for one enjoy a great video marathon. It is when you become aware you have done this 3 days in a row and not engaged in any other activities. This is when you hop in the shower or put on your best stretch pants and blast your favourite playlist. Dance in the kitchen and prepare a healthy meal or snack. Head outside for a brisk walk around the neighbourhood. If you struggle to get off the couch, eat or bathe and the thoughts of contacting others are overwhelming it is good to have a preset wellness call from a friend. Perhaps it is daily or at least once a week. You can take turns calling each other so you have an action step to engage in. We know action helps limit depression. My friend and I call it our debrief session. We can use the time to talk about the series we binged on, the frustration of the day but we always include something that will make us laugh. Accountability is one way out of the feeling of the world being against you. Checking in with your health care provider to gain insights and support for your mental health is vital as well. When we ignore our feelings they will keep tapping on our shoulder until they get our attention. The tap can be an illness, perhaps we have small accidents. They may appear to be endless distractions and upsets. It can result in an argument with a family member or colleague that is quite intense. When we have a moment to reflect the response seems to be greater than needed. The frustration of having to adhere to policies and guidelines that feel restrictive can come unleashed when standing in a lineup and not yet having remembered to put on a mask. Or perhaps you have accidentally wandered into someone's bubble. All this is not your intention but it creates a situation where words are spoken and get very heated. Each person is dealing with emotions that have no outlet. They are like the unattended kettle sitting on a stove and boils over. The loud whistle and shrill prompts quick action. Sometimes so quick you can get burned by not slowing down and proceeding with caution. Having a daily routine for emotional self-care is important. This practice is where you can reflect on what emotions rose up in the day. It helps to develop an awareness of noticing in the present moment, rather than waiting for your top to blow. Journaling at the end of each day will help you see the adaptation patterns of stress. Seeing your pattern will help to understand the triggers and how they can be best managed so you can respond rather than react. Spiritual self-care is not about religious practice. It is deepening your connection to your inner self and wisdom. Only you know you! However, it might require some introductions to be made. If we are so distracted and not taking self-care time we might not understand needs. Taking time in meditation or a reflective process allows our subconscious mind to share the insights it is gathering throughout the day. If we enter into this space with an open mind of inquiry and allow the answers to be shared we can discover a broader perspective of oneself. Just a reminder - because you ask a question, the answer may not appear right away or in a suspected outcome. Having a beginner's mind allows us to surrender, let go and invite grace and ease into our life. Spiritual self-care is the wholeness of our self - body, mind, and spirit connected as one. The balance of wellness in our 5 areas of life doesn't mean it has to take place all in one day. Having a consistent self-care practice with a variety of methods ensures you have access to maintain balance continually.
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