sometimes all you can do is hang on.
i was down with the flu on tuesday.
(and i do mean down.)
and i was struck by the fact that only two things mattered.
getting to the bathroom.
and getting back to my bed.
that’s it.
my to-do list – heck, even the rest of the world – did not matter.
my universe had shrunk to two essential acts of survival.
because sometimes self-care takes precedence over everything else.
sometimes it’s the most important – maybe the only – priority.
and sometimes it’s absolutely what we need to be concentrating on.
it may indeed be mandatory.
is there some form of self-care you should be devoting yourself to?
something you’ve been perhaps neglecting?
something that may indeed mean survival for you?
give it your attention.
and hang on.
or maybe you can tell me about a time that you thoroughly cared for yourself.
whether it was getting through a brief illness,
leaving an unhealthy situation or relationship,
or committing to long-term recovery.
i applaud you for hanging on.
Oh I hear ya! A few months back my business had become so messy that I unplugged. Silly move? Far from it! It was the best decision I ever made. After a period of ‘not thinking about my business’, I was able to take an outside view to the things that were working and those I just needed to dump.
When I returned to my CEO throne, I began working on systems for an easier work flow which was the a smaller part of the problem.
The bigger problem was that I was running on empty and everything I did was not making any impact.
Needless to say, refueling through self care is paramount π
Thank you for this beautiful post x
sounds like that was a constructive and strategic plan, theressa. sometimes removing ourselves from the “thick of things” is the best way to see what we need to see objectively.
Usually self-care seems to be the last thing on the list as we think other things are far more importantβ¦ Truth is, unless we consciously carve out me-time, the body will send you signals you don’t want, so you will have to rest, and recover. Sweet and to the point, thank you. Hope you are feeling better π :
thank you, farah. i am much better. and you are so right – carefully listening to our bodies is the first step to stellar self-care.
I am one of the many women who put self care at the bottom of my list. Taking care of my son and running my business take up so much of my time and energy that I don’t think about it until my body starts to signal that something is off. It should be mandatory, however. Thanks for the reminder. I hope you are on the mend.
i’m feeling better now, jennifer – thanks. and i hope you wrote SELF-CARE at the top of your to-do list! your son and your business need you at your very best.
Self-care is always the first thing to go. It’s one of my biggest ongoing struggles and you are right April, sometimes it needs to be the only priority.
it can definitely be a struggle, cheryl. but it is so very important. i wish you well in your self-care quest.
I dream of a day where self care is as natural as breathing. Unfortunately we live in a culture where exhaustion is a status symbol and slowing down is seen as sloth. I’ll “hang on” to that dream for now and keep self care front and center in my work and in my life. Thank you for the lovely post, April.
what a lovely thought, sue ann. yes, as a society we tend to go go go, don’t we? i noticed distinct differences when i traveled through europe last fall. so happy to hear that you make self-care a priority.
Beautiful self care…I feel it’s THE most important practice, and yet, at times it just slips by the wayside. I do feel that collectively there’s a much greater awareness of self care and its benefits, which is really gratifying. I trust you’re feeling better within yourself now April. Take (self) care. X.
i think you’re right, marg. there does seem to be a self-care revolution in the works. what a wonderful movement! and i am doing better, thank you.
When our self care goes by the wayside our bodies often rebel and force us to pay attention. We are always told that without our health we have nothing–it is so true. May we all prioritize ourselves before we are forced to. I hope you feel better!
yes, lorna, a very true statement. thanks for the well wishes! π
Hanging on to the belief that one day I will be able to completely disconnect the feeling of guilt that sometimes pops up with certain types of self-care (exercise is ok but a massage is indulgent). Make sense?
it absolutely makes sense, susie. we know we should never feel guilty for indulging in self-care (yes! it’s okay to indulge!), yet we often cling to the belief that we should not be focused on self. the consequences are much too great when we ignore ourselves though.
Self care is sooo important. Last year, I made a commitment to daily exercise, eating well and meditation. However, during the holidays I slipped up a bit with my self-care rituals and immediately felt the impact. I had to consciously decide to make this a priority again and slowly getting back into it .. thanks for the reminder : )
i think that’s key, sonia – to remind ourselves that we will neglect our care once in awhile and that baby steps are okay. we can always start again, we can always make things better.
Clearly an ongoing process for every woman, no matter how old, no matter our success level in life, business, health. We”ve all grown up with the idea that “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”…sometimes a little maintenance helps keeps the wheels turning.
To continue Sue Ann’s thought: I dream of a day when a massage (or some form of touch) is an important part of the day, not an indulgence.
i agree, cathy. but i don’t view “indulgence” in a negative way (or the word “selfish” for that matter). sometimes that is exactly what’s necessary to remind ourselves we are worth taking care of.
We so get in our own way don’t we. Until we get laid out by the essentials of living, we forget that every breath is a miracle. How beautiful and gentle a post this was. like a single drop of rain falling down from the sky and landing on your cheek and opening there as it gently lands only to realize, that is the best way to hang on.I’ll hang on to that for sure. Beautiful post April. Thank you.
thank you for your lovely and poetic words, elizabeth.
Oh, yes. I always feel as though illness is trying to tell us something. “You haven’t been taking care of yourself, have you? Well…now you will. Period.” Happy Healing, April!
sometimes our bodies hand us an ultimatum, don’t they? thanks, michelle – i’m back to full energy now!
Yes. This totally resonates. Sometimes that’s all we can do and all we really need to do. Love this. I will remember this next time life throws me some curveballs. Thank you!
good point, tania – it’s wise to prepare for those curveballs as best we can, isn’t it? because they will come.
I so agree with the importance of self-care. It’s one of my top priorities. And yet I fail to honour it on a regular basis.
It’s so easy to fall into the trap of “I’ll quickly finish this”, or “I just don’t have the time right now, but I’ll make some time tomorrow”, or “They need my help”, etc…
I know I fall into this trap regularly … despite my intentions. But every single time, I get up and try again. One day, I’ll get there π
i find myself uttering those phrases myself from time to time, laura. you’ve nailed it though – “every single time, i get up and try again.” the most important thing is to expect setbacks and vow to get back on track when they happen (and they will happen).
I always work hard and now that I have my own business that I love I find myself sometimes falling into the trap of forgetting self care. Luckily, I joined my husband on his business trip last month to San Diego, CA and was able to get in some great self care while tending to my online fitness clients and groups. I didn’t realize how much I had been working until day two into that trip where I almost feel asleep during a Yoga class (first time that ever happened to me!). Great lesson in learning to prioritize self care π Thanks for sharing!
wonderful to hear that you invested in luscious self-care while traveling with your husband, catherine. the yoga class must have completely relaxed you!