We’ve talked about ADHD, we’ve talked about my background, and we’ve talked about that mid-life crisis that women *don’t* have. Just one more big thing.
I can not stress enough how important self-care is. Self-care is more than just mindfulness, it is the way you treat and honor yourself.
Several studies have shown there may be a connection between good self-care and an increased life span. Many more have shown that there is certainly a connection between good self-care and all around satisfaction with life.
Self-care is something that I certainly struggle with, and I know many of you do to. We’ve been taught over the years that it is selfish to take time for ourselves when there are so many people depending on us. I must disagree. If you are not taking good care of your physical and mental health, how can you possibly do a great job of taking care of others?
How would we define self-care? Everyone is different, but some things are universal.
- Eating good nourishing food is one important aspect. I’m not saying, “NEVER eat the whole pint of ice cream,” because an occasional pint of ice cream might be part of your good self-care. Eating the whole pint of ice cream every day? No, not good self care.
- Get enough exercise. This is my personal weak point. I grew up with exercise induced asthma. For me exercise is associated with feelings of not being able to breathe. I will always have to struggle to overcome that. I also know that if I don’t get enough exercise then my body will not be as strong as I would like. That is important to me.
- Make a point to do something you enjoy every single day. It doesn’t take much, 30 minutes of reading, working on a hobby, or whatever you are interested in will do the trick. There are plenty of studies that show that indulging yourself in something you enjoy even just a few minutes a day can reduce the risk of heart disease. Many times for me it is learning something new. I figured out a long time ago that I just like to KNOW STUFF, lots and lots of stuff! So I read history magazines, or take online classes in topics that I’m interested in. Right now I’m working on a life-coach certification course. (Go figure.)
- Pick something else that calms you, and helps relieve stress. Personally, I recommend meditation. Some people prefer “quiet reflection.” That’s all up to you. Maybe it’s yoga, maybe it’s running,heck, for my husband it’s a trip to the shooting range… it doesn’t matter what it is…. Only that it calms you and decreases your stress level.
There will always be critical self-care work with every client. If YOU won’t even take care of YOU, who will?
The next time we get together, the Ignition Transformation website will be live. You will be able to find it at www.ignitiontransformation.com. Now the real work begins.
Until then, take care of yourself. Really.
Tracy
