Self-Care Aware
I have done a lot of work over the years to learn and implement a system of self-care. This has served me well, and includes going to the gym, martial arts and stretching exercises, eating healthy the majority of the time, getting rest, trying to lower stress, taking time to read and relax, and making time for fun. There are other components but these are the primary ones.
An interesting thing has happened this summer. As I have found myself in stressful and extremely busy times, I find that my system of self-care has floundered. At the times when I really needed it the most, I found myself not following through.
During an event at our B&B when a lot is demanded of me, I found myself not drinking water, even if I was thirsty. In the thick of drill-writing season, I found myself unable to take the time to do my daily stretching and martial arts practice.
I’ve done a lot of soul-searching about this, because one could assume that my years of training and habits of self-care should have kicked into high gear, not gone away! I have some theories, of course. Sometimes I find myself overwhelmed and I fall into “survival mode” which, unfortunately, can look like all work and no play. At an event, my brain can feel like it can’t relax or stop for even a second, which is of course not true.
So I’m working on solutions. One that works well, but which I don’t enjoy, is scheduling things into my day. I may have to put “Martial Arts from 1:00 to 1:30” on my calendar, like a meeting I have to attend. My husband Steve had added the habit of frequently asking me if I’m drinking water during an event. And I make some promises to myself that I will not go to bed unless I have done certain things. So If I’m stretching at 10:15 pm when I’d prefer to be in bed, I keep my promise and get it done.
Some people find it helpful to have an “accountability buddy.” Ask a friend to be the person you report to when you’ve completed that workout. Or set up a chart with gold stars on the fridge. This can be stunningly effective because you want to see that gold star on the chart each day. Schedule things in your calendar, and plan for times to stop and breath and move around. (This helped me this summer when I found myself getting “numb butt” from sitting in a mind-numbing coma while writing drill. This work requires so much mental work that I can lose track of time as I’m keeping track of all the plans and details.)
I vow to get better at my self-care because I know that when I keep these helpful habits going, I feel better, sleep better, do better work, and enjoy my life more. And I’m sure everyone around me enjoys life more as well! I can do it, and so can you!
Tim Hinton
August 17, 2024
