As I write this I am finishing up a late afternoon lunch out…by myself…and thoroughly enjoying it. You see this isn’t something I do often. Eat a quiet lunch, while it is still warm, take time to people watch, to think, and/or read. A typical day for me consists of running my kids around in between clients with very little time out for me. But that’s a problem, for me, and likely for you.
We live in a society that keeps us jam-packed. Running from one thing to another with very little down time. In addition, many of us feel guilty when we take time out for ourselves, as if we should be doing something else “more important.” However, we too easily miss the importance of taking care of ourselves.
When we stop and take time out for ourselves we give ourselves a gift. We are able to rejuvenate, to think more clearly, to feel refreshed and invigorated. However, we also give a gift to those when are responsible to and for. We have more energy for our responsibilities, we take more joy in our daily life, and more resources to give to those we love.
Self-care is an important and often overlooked piece of good mental (and physical) health. Find some ways to add self-care to your schedule…not sure where to start? Here are some ideas:
-Go out for lunch or coffee with a friend or by yourself
-Go to the gym or start a regular workout routine
-Pick up a book you have been wanting to read
-Find a hobby
-Go for a walk and enjoy the fall weather
-Snuggle up with a warm blanket and a cup of tea on a rainy day
-Spend time writing in your journal
Hopefully, this gives you some ideas of where yo start on your self-care journey. If you are still struggling with ways to get started on the self-care journey give us a call. Setting aside time for counseling is also a great way to care for yourself!
[…] time for self-care: I talked about the importance of self-care last month and the holidays are no exceptions. Take time to drink a cup of cocoa in front of the […]