Self-Care: The New Buzz Word

But What Is It Really?

by Dr. Lynn Witty

Self-care does not mean self-indulgence. It is more like self-preservation. The old saying “You can’t help others until you help yourself” is very true. Be kind to yourself. Pull the oxygen mask over your face if your plane is going down – then you are able to take care of those around you.

How do I start? Journaling is a great way to line up what’s important and then what is most important. Start by writing down what you do every day. What is for yourself – put a STAR beside those things. Than write down what you do for other people – your husband, kids, work, neighbors – put an X beside those things. My guess is you spend more time with the Xs than the STARs.

Did you include things like sleep, nutritious meals for yourself, a walk, a talk with friends? What things are important to you that you are missing – special time with your kids, organizational skills, building your business? That can be another list. How do you wake up in the morning – today is a good day for a good day – OR – What bad thing is going to start my day today. Start your day with a positive attitude. Do that after 6-8 hours of sleep at night. Start with a breakfast of fruit or veggies – and at least 3 servings throughout the day.

So next I say - don’t change everything at once. You have your journal – do at least one entry per day. You have picked out your number one item to work on. Did you have trouble just picking one? What trouble did you have adjusting to it ? What benefit can you see by making a few changes? Keep your eye on the mark but don’t set yourself up for failure by saying if you don’t do it in a certain time frame you are a failure. Set a reasonable goal and adjust as needed. If you have a lapse – just get back up and start again.

More to follow – including how habit stacking can get you there faster. And why the easy way typically leads you to feel poorly about progress, and how a little extra effort can get you started on meeting your needs.