How do you practice self-care?

Five years ago, I actually had time to focus on my self-care. It was great, except I was on medical leave to recover from ‘continuing to work’ for a year after being diagnosed with a kind of liver disease related to toxemia.

The year I spent working after the fresh diagnosis was the beginning of a huge mental breakdown. I lost 100 lbs while restricting food in order to lose weight for the sake of my liver.

By the time I agreed to medical leave, I’d become a shadow of myself. While on leave, I was required to seek much needed help from the psychiatrist I still see today for my ever-looming battle with disordered eating and severe episodes of depression.

So, I set out on a six month journey of self-care. I walked the dog every day. I took time to eat healthy foods. I started daily yoga. A fitness guru friend trained me to lift weights every 3 days. I spent time enjoying reading. I spent a lot of time outdoors. It was Super Duper FANTASTIC.

When I returned to work I WAS much healthier. I wanted to continue keeping my self-care routines. I was DEDICATED.

There is a line between self-care and self-sabotage. I didn’t have time to do ALL the lovely and soul- nurturing THINGS. Self-care became a CHORE. It was another impossible box to check. It sent me spinning.

We need to be attentive to our bodies and our thoughts. Pushing ourselves to fit everything in is not helpful. So, now, I’m learning to be accepting and comfortable with my inability to do it all. I can do that sometimes when I stop and breathe and notice all that my senses are experiencing.