I have been thinking about the term "self-care" since I wrote my last post two days ago. If we're being honest, I think about self-care every day. We have established that I am a busy, type A, perfectionist. I think I live in a constant state of burnout while simultaneously being hard on myself for not doing more.
But my self-care isn't always the best actual care. I took a picture for instagram the other day with my current knitting project, a Bold Rock cider, and a donut.
Now, none of these things are bad. This can certainly be healthy self-care on a stressful day. And I spend way more time joking about day drinking than ACTUALLY day drinking. But I feel like the words self-care have turned into these buzzwords to sell bath bombs and skin care. I've really been diving deep into what caring for myself during times of high stress means for me.
The higher my stress, the worse my decision making skills are. I turn to what is fast, instant gratification, get me through to the next moment. I'm no psychologist, but I doubt I am unique in this. So when I'm stressed out, exhausted, and feel like my head is spinning, I tend to eat crappy foods, move as little as possible, and generally do things that are, in fact, the opposite of self-care. I even knit less when I'm like this.
So what really is self-care? Taking care of my body (moving around, eating more fresh fruits and veggies, getting sunlight, drinking more water) and my mind (listening to upbeat music, knitting, talking to friends, laughing with my husband).
I am going to focus the rest of June on self-care. Maybe I can make it a habit! I want to give my body all the tools to be healthy and happy. That doesn't mean no treats! But it means preparing during times of lower stress so I am prepared to make good decisions when I am stressed out. This looks like easy to grab and eat fruits always at hand. Meal prepping. Putting time for walks on my calendar so i know that time is available. Making a stressed out playlist. Winding a few skeins so I have yarn ready to go for my next project - no thought needed. And plenty of candles and bath bombs!
What is your self-care routine? I would love to hear your suggestions!
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