Happy New Year!
The pace of December rapidly sped up as the year came to an end and the month progressed with parties to tend, gifts to buy and houses to clean in preparation for family celebrations. Our normal routines went out the window as we ate, drank and socialized our way through the season. For many people the holidays are filled with stress, not enough time, not enough love, not enough money, too many things to do, too much sugar, etc. It seems like the month of December is full of indulgences or lack, stressors both. So we merrily or grumpily moved through the month.
At the same time our social lives were gearing up, the days were growing shorter and the desire to hibernate, sleep, slow down and become more internal descended upon us. A bit of a schism wasn't it? But slosh through the month we did and now the new year is here. How to get back on track?
People are returning to work, kids are back in school. Decorations are down or soon will be. The china has been washed and stored until next time. All the activity has left us out of sorts with a few extra pounds on. We've lost sight of our self-care routines, if we even had any. We are in a new month, a new year, a new beginning and what we seem to need is a "reset" button to get us back to ourselves. A friend told me her daughter's New Year's resolution was to be kinder to herself. I thought, how great is that! How many different ways can we treat ourselves with more kindness and in doing so can we really support us those around us.
Reset through self-care
A patient of mine shared that he'd made a list of ways to take care of himself. Each day he committed to doing at least 2 or more items on the list. Minimum of two, but the more the better. What he had noticed is when he successfully followed through on his self-care routines he found himself happier, less grumpy, less likely to overeat or eat the wrong things, he slept better, and his CHRONIC PAIN DIMINISHED. I too have noticed when I take the time to implement self care each day I have a lot more to offer, personally and professionally. I liked the idea of a list, written down and placed in an obvious location, taped to the refrigerator, the bathroom mirror, or next to the bed. The list can contain simple, easy to do things as well as more extensive items. The whole idea is to pick at least 2 things each day and do them.
The kinds of things on your list will vary but most likely they will include items of exercise, diet, pleasure, grooming, spiritual/religious pursuits, socialization, relaxation and quiet time. Perhaps making categories, mind, body, spirit and picking an item from each category might be a tactic.
I have included a starter list of items that might be found on your list:
Get 8 hours of sleep
Leave work on time
Eat dinner as a family
Meditate/breath at least 5 minutes a day
Take a long hot shower/bath
Eat more salad
Drink more water
Exercise 15 minutes
Read for pleasure
Turn off the computer/cell phone an hour before bed
Cook a nutritious meal with left overs for lunch
Spend quality time with the family
Quality time with self
Hang out with a beloved pet
Get a massage, facial, hair cut, pedicure
Turn off the cell phone/text messaging for an hour, 1/2 day, day
Spend time in nature
Take a mental health day
Learn a new language, craft, skill just for the fun of it
Sing
Dance
Move
Listen to music
The list is endless. The only requirement is that the list contain those things that feed and nourish you, that nothing on the list is obligatory or in anyway causes you discomfort.
When we allow ourselves, minutes, hours, even days of self care we are changing the pattern of doing too much and having too few inner resources, to being full and having more than enough to offer ourselves and our world. We reset ourselves, anytime we choose.
January 2011, a good month to start your self care list and routines. You might want to keep a journal of what you do each day, track your choices and how you feel about doing something good just for you. See how it carries from one day to the next. I'd love to hear how it goes and how it makes you feel.
