Recently I did a set of workshops at the amazing organization where I both work and volunteer doing vital, emotionally demanding work. The one thing that was emphasized again and again and again is the importance of self-care.
Self-care is something you do only for yourself. You do it for your emotional well-being, your mental health and your physical health because, as we all know, they’re all interconnected. You do these things on a regular basis, as a way of checking in with yourself and nurturing all those sensitive, vulnerable, wonderful parts of you that take a battering from work, society, relationships, Christmas shopping, depressing news and anything else that saps you. The wonderful thing about self-care is that it is entirely individual. We each have our own trigger points, and we all have our own soothing routines.
One important note about self-care: self-care is positive. If you are doing things to self-medicate that you don’t feel good about, or are having a negative effect on your life, that isn’t self-care, and you need to address that and find more positive, loving ways to care for yourself.
Some of my favorite methods of self-care are:
-a nice mug of tea–is there anything tea can’t make better??
-sending a silly text message to my wonderful brother
-turning on an upbeat, catchy song and getting lost in it
-yoga
-running!
My last few weeks have been hectic–too many papers to count, even more all-nighters, stress-stress-stress!
One night, in the thick of a paper that was not going well, I realized I needed to take a minute to myself. I needed to remind my body, my mind and my heart that everything was okay, and would be okay. And I needed to work off the nervous energy and frustration that had been building up in me all week. So at midnight on a Tuesday night I headed out into the pouring rain with no distance or destination in mind.
I ran until I was gasping then turned around and ran back. I ran until the fear had been beaten out of me by the battering rain. I ran until I could think again. I ran until I was me again.
This single act of self-care had ripple effects. I came home and showered then–though the stress centre in my brain was demanding I keep writing–went immediately to sleep. I listened to my body and honoured it (and how often am I able to sleep right after running?! I needed it.). The next day, still exhausted, I was debating turning in a sub-par paper or taking the late penalty and turning in something to be proud of the next day. At the urging of a very wise and wonderful friend I did just that. I slept, ate a nutritious meal and finished my paper a day late.
And, despite the docked marks, I aced the paper!
Take care of yourselves, my friends.
Good for you! I’m glad you’re putting yourself over your grades. That run sounds cathartic.