Pea Soup Beach, Port Fairy
This year is now back in full swing with school, work, extracurricular activities, family, friends and community events. I don’t know about you, but summer holidays feel like a distant and fond memory!
As we take on this all too familiar load of juggling balls (our various roles, jobs and activities) including work, looking after kids - getting kids ready for school/kinder - packing lunches and bags, washing an endless basket of clothes, organising our weekly family schedules, playing taxi driver for our kids, never ending housework, organising catch ups etc, have you stopped to ask yourself this...
How am I?
A) Energised? Optimistic? Sweet as? That's great! Keep doing what you're doing!
B) Tired? Overwhelmed? Mentally fatigued? Read on!
Which one (or more) on these apply to you?
Are you saying 'YES!' to everything?
You don't like to miss out on things (FOMO)?
You don't like to let people down?
You just want to do everything even if time realistically doesn't allow it?
All of these options under B) apply to me and it often results in feeling overwhelmed and gasping for air, wishing for the next weekend so I can recover.
When those juggling balls begin to drop, it can also result in depletion of energy and a deflated mood.
So what can we do?
Put your oxygen mask on first before helping others
Without energy, a healthy nervous system and a calm state of mind, it's hard to help our children and others.
Self-care is that oxygen mask.
Have you thought about you will look after yourself so you can sustain your energy for these all the 'balls' and more importantly, so you feel good, physically and mentally?
What does self-care look like for you? It doesn’t have to be big; it just has to be something..
an early mindful morning or evening walk (day light savings is good to take up the habit while it’s light)
spending time in the garden (whether that be watering the plants, sitting in your garden or physically getting dirty and all!)
catching up with friends
moving your body: walk, run, swim, yoga, pilates etc
having a hot drink and finishing it!!
taking a relaxing bath
having a brief cold shower (I know it doesn't sound enticing but trust me, there's lots of research to support cold water therapy)
meditation or just doing a daily task something mindfully eg, sitting down to eat breakfast mindfully - noticing the textures, smells, tastes of the food and savouring each bite.
dancing to your fav tunes or creating a playlist of feel good songs
singing in the shower, in the car or even with others
taking photos of your surroundings
reading a book or magazine
finding your inner creative spot eg, drawing, colouring, painting, clay, collage (vision boards) etc.
saying 'no' - putting in personal boundaries
listening to your 'inner yes!' Just do it!
reducing time on screens
baking
resting
In this precious moment that you have right now, write down one thing that you will do. Feel empowered and motivated as you follow your inner YES!
Put it somewhere that you will see it as a gentle daily reminder that you are important and worthy of some self-care moments in your day.
Taking moments to do something for yourself that feels good, releases a variety of hormones including dopamine, serotonin, endorphins and/or oxytocin, depending on what you do. While each hormone has different benefits, they essentially aim to boost your mood, nourish your nervous system and promote wellbeing.
Who doesn't want more of that in their lives?
Remember it takes 3 weeks to build a habit, so try something. Carve moments into your day and consistency do it, then reaps the benefits. Enjoy yourself!
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