More Radical Self-Care

I am going to focus today on more radical self care….I am working on developing a program around this that will really identify some self-care techniques that we all need so very much. As I consider this program and what I want out of it, I get lost in imagination and realize this could go so many awesome directions.

I am going to stick close to what I do to begin with and then I am loving the idea of expanding into more areas.  So, what do I know?  Mindfulness, meditation, yoga, compassion, kindness, being present….all of these things work.  We have talked about proof before but if you want more proof then I have it right here.  Mindfulness helps with sleep, depression, anxiety and other mental illnesses.   Meditation is proven to with lowering blood pressure, increasing your immune system and much more.

So what will self-care involve?  A few thoughts to start:

•    Creating and nurturing our “inner goddess”.  She is in there and is just waiting to surface.  However we often allow our “inner critic” to suffocate her.  We have to learn to silence the inner critic and find, nurture and bring out our inner goddess.  Consider with no limitations allowed who you would be if you knew you would succeed, how would you be different?  How would you act different, dress different, do and be more? 

•    Self-Compassion…what is that you ask?  It is showing love, kindness and compassion to yourself.  Kristen Neff has an amazing book titled “Self-Compassion” and I urge you to read it.  She has powerful stuff going on.  Self-compassion is not a luxury, it is a vital part of self-care.  It takes an ongoing practice and self-awareness to draw out that inner goddess/god but once you do you will be amazed at how much better you feel.  

•    Grounding yourself…no, not like when you were in high school and got grounded.  Staying grounded and connected to Mother Nature, the earth, the ground. Getting outside, playing in the dirt whether it is gardening, creating a rock garden or anything else that gets your hands dirty.  Get into or near a body of water.  Water has amazing healing qualities.  

•    Awareness or mindfulness- pay close attention to how you feel.  How does your physical body feel?  Your inner voice, what is it telling you? Notice the things that you are good at and tell yourself “way to go”, “I love how you took the time to rest today”, “I love that you are taking care of yourself by sleeping enough and exercising”.   Take the time to nurture yourself with kind words, feelings and thoughts….beware of what you say about your body…it can hear you!

Take away- Identify characteristics of your inner goddess, go play outside, meditation for 20 minutes and come comment and tell me all about it.

love and light

Jamie
 “Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive” Dalai Lama