Indulgence or Preservation? The Self-Care Revolution

WHO? HIJACKED? SEPTEMBER?

I cannot even believe this month is over. Hopefully, you and your family are all back into your routines of insanity (as opposed to your unstructured summers of chaos.) My children are all adults now, but I still have the occasional nightmare where all my kids are in diverse activities in different places, and I cannot get to all of them in time to pick them up before dark. You would THINK I could clone myself in my dreams. But it doesn’t happen. I must choose what child to leave alone and afraid. Yes, I know. That is terrible!

But it's not all gloom and doom, folks. Our kids are resilient, and they really DO make it through! It’s the parents that need the help! With the kids back in school, it’s time to take care of YOURSELF!

Caring for yourself is not self-indulgence. It is self-preservation. The world today honors self-sacrifice, so taking care of your own needs first seems to be…kind of a…radical decision. But it is not because you are selfish—it is because you recognize that your household, your work team, or you yourself, are not going to survive otherwise.

Acts of self-care will differ for every individual. My kids know that they approach mom at their own risk if she hasn’t gotten her morning workout in. That is absolutely pertinent in my self-care regimen. Someone else might need their morning coffee, while another must perform meditation or recites mantras in the mirror. How can you be at the top of your game if you aren’t meeting your own needs first? If you disagree with this, the next time you are on a flight, and the oxygen masks drop from the ceiling of the plane due to low cabin pressure, “unselfishly” put masks on as many people as you can before you put yours on. Let’s see how long you stay conscious. You will only be able to provide quality guidance and support by making sure you are physically and mentally able to do so!

Taking care of the basics is also a theme that dominates the self-care revolution. Eat, sleep, hydrate. These are three gifts that you can give yourself. Keep in mind, what you eat, and when you eat, make a tremendous difference. Self-care in action also includes a regular bedtime routine that allows 7-8 hours of sleep. Decreased sleep contributes to both cardiovascular disease and psychiatric conditions like depression, anxiety, and suicidality. Proper hydration regulates body temperatures, maintains blood volume and electrolyte balance, clears the bowels, and aids in digestion. It also activates metabolism, prevents fatigue, and lifts your mood.

We have very little power over what happens in the world today, but what we do know is that the narrative of self-sacrifice, although important in some respects, can be destructive when one ends up running faster than he has strength. With no guilt, no shame, and no limits, you can place self-care at the top of your to-do list. You must focus on your own wellbeing if you are going to help others to…

Be well!

  

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