I have to laugh when the most thought of form of self care is that good ole cheesy bubble bath and a glass of wine. In reality, it’s much more; much deeper than that. Not that there’s anything wrong with indulging in a bubble-fest but we’re still swimming in shallow water if we think self-care stops there.
Exploring self care can be trickier than you’d think. Self Care is about taking the necessary time to do things that help you “recharge”.
What does that mean?
Let’s look at it this way: Every person has a little internal battery. Some charge faster than some, some last longer than some, and different things drain each battery. Some people are extroverted, meaning they like to get “out there” and do things in groups and they come across as having a bolder, easily-approachable personality. For someone who is introverted, they appreciate their quiet, alone-time more than someone who is extroverted. They enjoy the one-on-one time with friends as apposed to big crowds, and their personalities may come across as more shy and quiet. Lastly, there are many people that fit into the ambivert category. Where they seem to fit in no matter what situation they find themselves in, and easily adjust to big or small groups. What makes these personalities so special and unique? They each “recharge” a different way. Extroverts tend to find their energy when surrounded by other high-energy people, where introverts recharge with some quality alone time. Ambiverts can be recharged different ways, depending on the person.
The point is, self-care is identifying and doing what helps you “Recharge”. For some, this may mean a retreat to somewhere quiet to read, watch their favourite show, going for a run, or doing yoga/meditation. Other may opt to go out with friends, go shopping, host a party, and more. Whichever personality you have, self-care will mean something completely different to you, and that’s a good thing. The hard part is learning to set aside time to do whatever it is that helps you recharge.
In our busy lives we often get caught up in our daily activities and we don’t leave much room for ourselves. Whether we work around the clock, or whether our responsibilities take up all of our time, we tend to drain our batteries and then are surprised when we act unusually to a situation, get upset by the small things, not know how to respond to something unusual that happens, etc. When we take time to recharge, we slowly begin to learn about ourselves and unless we take that time, we won’t really understand what our bodies and brains need in order to navigate the ups and downs of life.
What’s your job now? Take 15 minutes everyday to do the things that help you recharge. If it takes more than 15, great, but don’t short yourself. Perhaps you can even start a self-care journal. This could even be a list on your phone of all the things you like to do to recharge your battery, and how you felt going into the next hour/day/week. What changes have you noticed? How to you feel physically? Mentally? Emotionally? Feel free to share your experience with us!
Onwards and Upwards always,
ISC