Day 272/366 days Towards Self-Mastery.
When I think of self-care I think of the many seasons we travel and the changing needs we experience to maintain our well-being, emotional, physical and social.
Our greatest need for self-care is when we are most busy, occupied with the busyness of life, the time when we are filling our lives with care and chores and tasks for others, and rarely have time to consider our own needs.
At these times it's more difficult to be tuned into your needs, and your special and unique ways of meeting them. Finding ways to nurture yourself might take a little time and consideration. It doesn't have to be complicated nor expensive.
Without exception, nature has always been my go-to for harmony and calm. The place that brings me down and mellows me out. Whether there is a local park to eat my lunch or a short walk with a cup of coffee, nature always soothes. When I can't get out to it, I bring it into my office with flowers and pot plants. I need closeness with nature in some way.
Reflection time is another precious gift I give myself and have for most of my life. I need a lot of alone time so I make sure I get that before bed, and in the morning before anyone else is awake.
I'm speaking here more about the Summer of our lives when we are most engaged in building relationships, working to support our lifestyle and busy with raising families. The time of most ambition and productivity.
In the Spring our only concern is ourselves. The young people populate the gyms and the beaches at times others can only dream of. I think it's important to be aware of our season to bring the right amount of self-care into our day. It's too easy to be overwhelmed with all the promotions and expectations that the commercial world offers us, that we forget to reflect on our own situation and meet our own needs.
Recreation time for my family meant recreation time for me also. A bike ride along the waterfront, brunch on Sunday in a local cafe, a walk along the beach. These simple pleasures are my way of self-caring.
Nowadays as I enter my Autumn years I walk more slowly through each day. I make ample use of the value of staying in the flow to enable the next right thing to emerge so that my time is productive. My diet is a support as is my garden.
Self care is about filling our cup so that we can continue to give from it. I particularly think that the idiom, "you can't give from any empty cup" is very appropriate to remind us of the importance of self-care. Whether we are in our own business, or working for others, or whether are are caring for children full-time, productivity, creativity, and innovative energy is limited by our state of well-being.
Regardless of how busy you are, take some time each day to invest in you. You are not a machine that keeps going until you are worn out. You are life experiencing itself. Take time to experience life, touch it, hold it, care for the life that is you. Honour yourself with self-care.
366 days Towards Self-Mastery
When I considered my New Year's intentions for 2020 I had just one: To allow my heart to love what it loved...and let it lead me. (If not now, then when?)
I've spent months working on integrating my life. To live life more fully with my home life, my interests, my work, my responsibilities, all coming together, all connected. I want to give each the attention that they desire and need, and still have time and energy for the others. That means living and working from the heart.
As I was clearing out my bookshelf over the Christmas break I discovered Simple Abundance. I set it aside to explore it on New Year's Day as I lazed through another delicious day of nothingness. Sarah, the author, says this book is about living in grace. Living in grace I realised, is about Self-Mastery.
My thirst for understanding the human condition has driven me all my life, and hand-in-hand with self-mastery it has been a life-long goal. And seeing as I love to write, that living in grace is about self-mastery, and I love a bit of a challenge, then if I am truly going to let my heart lead, I really don't have any other choice. So scary as it feels, I'm starting out on a daily mission of leaning into the suggestions of this daybook and making a daily post to keep me accountable. If not now, then when?
I'm Josie. You can find out a little more about me here.
Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy: by Sarah Ban Breathnach.
This book is written for the Australian and NZ market because it refers to seasonal changes. It's available on Amazon here if you'd like to follow along.
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