7-14-23 A topic that has come up lately among many of the folks I speak with is self-care. Two things became evident to me. People often have a misconception around what that means, and especially, don’t realize how important it is.

Self-care isn’t always an active thing, in other words, it isn’t always an action you take. And, when you do take an action step, self-care doesn’t necessarily or exclusively mean to only do something luxurious for yourself or something you wouldn’t normally do for yourself.

My primary definition of self-care is about noticing whether I am caring more for others than I am for myself so that I am running on empty and beginning to feel resentful, frustrated, and/or impatient. I’ll notice I am feeling more exhausted and starting to have a very short fuse. What do you notice about yourself when you’re making giving to others more important than giving to yourself?

We are all natural givers – the key for me is to stay in balance and aware of my own needs. Sometimes that means saying no to others, or even saying no to my own endless to-do list. I translate that into, “I’m saying yes to that part of me that needs nourishing.” I have many different needs, so self-care might mean being quiet today in solitude, an adventurous hike the next day, and asking for help the day after that. So, that wonderful luxurious pampering that we do every now and then (like a massage or an expensive dinner out) definitely has its place, but I’m talking about a deeper, everyday level of self-care that keeps me feeling my best, being resilient for dealing with whatever comes my way, and in top energy form so that I can continue to give from a pure place.

 Self-care is about residing in my heart, aligning myself with Love, and spending time in Be-ing as well as making sure to take the time to do all the many different activities that nourish me. Self-care starts with how I talk to myself, especially when I give myself self-compassion and gentle acceptance after one of my more “human” moments. Self-care has me uplifting, inspiring and encouraging myself, rather than waiting for others to do that for me. It’s all about honoring myself right where I am.

One of the best ways I’ve learned to take care of myself is to practice all the heart-centered tools I’ve shared with you here. Another favorite self-care tool is getting outside and conversing with nature – that takes care of me on a lot of different levels. And I do that often. What’s your way?

You matter. You make a difference. You’re needed on this planet for all you have to share. And to do that, it would help to make the choice to keep your energy tank full of nourishing and life-giving Love, in all the unique ways that you need it. Today is a good day...and I make it so!