Wellness Series: Self Care
Hi to all. I am excited to be writing my very first ever blog post! I am Kris Homan with Boys & Girls Clubs of Mason Valley and I serve as an emotional wellness Coach to all of our seven sites in the Lyon & Mineral County region. I hope that you all have had a good week and have stayed in a positive frame of mind. I have a heart to help individuals strive to reach higher. I enjoy walking along side individuals to help them see their full potential and am excited and nervous at the same time as this is a new venture for me. This week I am talking about self-care and the importance of it. I hope that you enjoy and, as always, stay positive!!!
Self–care, what is it? Why should I make time for self-care? How long does it take? What if I do not do self-care? How do I make time with kids in the house all day? I will answer these questions and more. Self-care is ANY activity that is done by an individual that helps with calming and refreshing their mental state of mind and physical wellbeing. It can literally be anything at all. Self-care is individualized and different for everyone.
Self-care is not time specific and can vary in the amount of time that is needed. You might take a few minutes for self-care in the morning or you might take several minutes throughout the day. Another option is to take a longer period of time right before bed. The time that you set aside for self-care will vary for each one of you. I may be able to dedicate 20 minutes to self-care whereas others might only be able to dedicate two minutes, and that is great! What I might use for self-care would possibly not be effective for many other people. My likes and dislikes differ from other people so finding what your self-care routine might look like will be different from mine. I will give some examples of things that might work for you or that might help with finding just the right fit for your self-care. Self-care can be simple and does not have to cost anything. Yes, some time, but what is some time if in the end that time spent will reap great benefits. Some of the benefits of self-care can include mental clarity, joint relief, muscle tension relief, and physical wellbeing.
Self-care is not just being in a pretty atmosphere such as a lake and working on your laptop. Why do I bring that up? Because for years I thought that I was taking good care of myself by “getting away” but still working. In the end I realized that my mental and physical wellbeing were suffering greatly from not taking time for myself. Work will wait for a few minutes while you take care of you. In the end your job will be enhanced by your self-care.
So why should I take care of me? There is only one you! You only get one shot at this dance called life so why would you not do it the best that you can. Continued stress and chaos have proven over time to cause cardiac issues, mental fog, and severe muscle tension along with a multitude of other issues and concerns. Taking a few minutes for self-care can greatly reduce these issues and can help in your productivity at work and in your social life. Self-care can help with becoming a better listener which can greatly improve relationships.
Be the best that you can be first and then you will be better for yourself, your family, work, and everything else that you are there for.
So how do I do self-care? Easy peasy! Right lol. One great way to get started is to make a list of things that you like to do or things that make you happy. Here is a list of things that I like.
- Lilacs/flowers
- Lakes
- Animals
- Painting rocks
- Reading
- Praying
- Writing
Now here is a list of some suggestions for you to begin to do some self-care.
- Just stop and take a deep breath – it is proven that if you stop and take a deep breath your reaction will be greatly different.
- Close your eyes and take five deep breaths in your nose and out your mouth. Making sure that each time you fill your lungs to capacity and then empty all the air out of your lungs upon exhale.
- Get up and stretch. Close your eyes and reach for the sky and then reach all the way to the ground. Do it again.
- Take a walk outside and notice all the green around you. What good is this you ask? It helps with reframing your thinking and enabling your mind to slow down for a minute or two!
- Close your eyes and teleport yourself to your favorite place and think about what it feels like, looks like, and smells like.
- Get a pedicure or manicure
- Get a massage
- Go fishing
- Play with an animal – It is proven that playing or watching animals play is very therapeutic. Take goats for instance. They are very comical to watch, and this will enable your mind to slow down.
- Laugh – Laughter is the very best medicine.
- Find a guided meditation that you like and try it. Even if you have never done one before, try something new you might like it.
No matter what you chose to do, just focus on you and you alone. You are worth it. You are irreplaceable and deserve a few minutes each day to be your best. Are you up for a challenge? Here it is… Take time for you today and each day. Start a routine. Start a trend. Challenge someone else you know to take some time for self-care each day.
Be GREAT this week,
