Usually when we think of taking care of ourselves we think in terms of bare bones maintenance. We have to eat, shower, rest and this is usually squeezed in between all the other stuff we have to get done everyday. When we feel anxious, overwhelmed, or stressed out it’s easier to avoid rather than face what’s bothering us. We eat another cookie, go shopping, or have another glass of wine. It’s far easier to cover up our anxiety or overwhelming emotions rather than sitting still and asking ourselves what it is we really need.

Avoidance sets up a vicious cycle of fake self care. We mask our pain and its triggers instead of dealing with core issues that need our thoughtful attention and resolution. Self care means honoring what it is we really need by being courageous enough to look inside and deal with what we find there in a loving, kind, and compassionate way. Self care has enormous healing potential, it’s like an ounce of prevention versus a pound of cure.

Anytime is the right time to begin learning all the ways we can care for and nurture ourselves before we hit the wall. It starts with being curious enough to see what needs mending and then taking a step towards healing. It’s never one big push but lots of small self care steps that do the work of transformational healing. We tend to the real problems and issues we face by honestly looking at what it is we need and giving it to ourselves instead of sidestepping or pushing it deeper down.

It also involves something Bud Harris calls sacred selfishness. It’s about consciously taking the time we need for ourselves and what nourishes us. Putting our well being first can feel very foreign, but the truth is we can only support, nourish, and help others to the extent we can do the same for ourselves. As with anything else that’s new, it takes practice.

So how do we begin caring for and nurturing ourselves? How about more pleasure? More hot baths, more relaxation, meditation, walks in the woods or by the ocean. We can journal, draw, sculpt, dance, sing, howl at the moon, create an herbal garden to concoct our own teas, or just slow down and fully engage and enjoy the moment in front of us. This year is the year to find out what self care means for you and to take more time to nurture yourself. This year it’s time to open to that sacred space within and begin to live from there.

If you want more ideas check out Self Care For The Soul, an interactive journal available on Amazon that will walk you through a year of learning how to care for yourself on every level and enjoy the simple gifts of the everyday.

Take good care of yourself.

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