Defined:
In terms of health maintenance, self care is any activity of an individual, family or community, with the intention of improving or restoring health, or treating or preventing disease.
In terms of health maintenance, self care is any activity of an individual, family or community, with the intention of improving or restoring health, or treating or preventing disease.
I developed habits of self care sort of by accident as I was
healing from the end of a long term relationship. I began to meditate
regularly, spend time exercising outdoors in nature (rather than just the gym),
reading positive books, practicing yoga and getting more rest than I ever
allowed myself before. I felt like overall, I learned to slow down and take time for me
and it was transformational in my life. Through these regular practices, not
only did I start an ever-growing healing process, but I developed the ability to
listen to my body and my intuition to always know what I needed for peace and
happiness.
I have had these practices in place for a little over a year
and was feeling like I was on a roll with my self care rituals and inner development. With
my integrated practice of exercise, time spent in nature, mediation, rest, time
spent with good friends, eating healthy and delicious food, reading uplifting
books and listening to uplifting speakers - I felt a sense of sustained balance
in my life that brought peace to every situation no matter what I encountered. I
was truthfully able to go with the flow.
Then I began to feel off. This feeling was a progression over time -- I did not even have an awareness of it until my state of mind became unsettled and I began to feel trapped in my life and my body. This feeling was progressive over about one month’s time and I found myself blaming my outward situation (stress at work, friends/family being too demanding on me, bad weather…) for how I was feeling inside.
I was talking with a friend and he kept asking
me what was wrong – which is something he has never had to ask me before. I had
maintained my healthy self care practices for so long that I rarely felt unbalanced
or unsettled and if I did, it was for far less time and not nearly as severe. I
was little offended and surprised by his questions and kept responding with, “nothing!
I’m great! Everything is fine!” But being
the genuinely caring person he is, he dug deeper and asked me if I was resting
enough, how my yoga practice was and how I felt inside. This is what caused me
to realize I was not being true to my self care practices – and thus everything
inside of me and around me was suffering.
What happened was that I was not present with my practices
and was beginning to take them for granted. I had developed the mindset that I
had them mastered and treated them as second nature. After all, I was still
putting my rituals into practice – but far less often, and with less heart. I had
greatly reduced my personal development and well-being by over-committing
myself to friends, work, socializing and events - and slowly but surely, I
began to suffer and this effected everything.
Self care is so so important for being an effective person
in life. It should always come before anything else because it is the source of
your well-being and happiness. It emanates out and effects to every other
aspect of your life by bringing balance and security to all experiences. However,
it takes regular attention and is not something you can just add to your list
of to-dos. It must be done with pure intention, awareness and an open heart.
Now, I’m going for a walk… here’s to your self care –
whatever that may be.
with love,
Katie Lain
