Owning Your Story

The other day a memory popped into my head that I had long forgotten. Years ago, I was living in Boston and working at a health center. We were having our annual holiday party and my brother, his partner and I were all going together. The week prior to the party there had been a raffle and the grand prize was a night at the hotel where the party was being hosted. I had won the raffle!! So we went to check out my room before heading to the party. They got excited for me knowing I was going to have a suite to myself that night. Something I normally could not have afforded.

When we got on the elevator to head to the party, we ran into coworkers who had paid for a room that night. They learned that I had won the raffle and immediately asked, ” Wait, are you alone?” When I answered “Um yes…” They followed up with, “What a waste! You should give it to us!” (I will give you a moment here to gasp. Yes this is true and no this kind of thing is not uncommon when you’re single, many of you know what I’m talking about.) My loyal family immediately went off on these folks, challenging this idea that I didn’t have the “right” to the room because I was alone. They lovingly had my back.

Problem is? I didn’t have my own back. I actually internalized what those guys had said because deep down I had also started to wonder if I wasn’t enough (lovable, allowed to take up space etc) unless I had a partner. Now intellectually I knew they were wrong, and pretty jerky to say this. But they had tapped into something that was an unseen wound of mine, (that had been shaped by media, the patriarchy, and so many other aspects of my culture) and had rubbed salt all over it. In truth, my story and life were pretty freaking fabulous! I also was a hard working nursing who ABSOLUTELY deserved that room and all the goodies that came with it. But I had let their story of me, determine my worth.

This memory surfaced for me last week, after I heard a story (from author Jody Day) about a woman being shamelessly hit on by a man (making no progress) at a cocktail party. Exasperated and dejected, he took his rejection out on her and loudly proclaimed something to the effect that she would “end up alone as a crazy cat lady!!” to which she replied without skipping a beat, “If all goes to plan!” Let’s pause here to applaud the PERFECT response of that woman!

When we don’t subscribe to someone else’s archaic, misinformed, misogynist views, we can be like this fabulous woman who owned her story instead of internalizing his disdain and making it her own. She reminded me how fascinatingly individual we all are! I have no idea what your idea of an incredible life is! To assume that us wildly different human beings must all want the same thing is quite frankly boring. Additionally the idea that we only COUNT when we fit into a predetermined template, doesn’t leave much room for imagination or the reality of life.

One thing I’ve learned by putting my foot it in and being the recipient of misinformed comments, is that we don’t know each other’s stories. Life does not always go to plan. Loss, heartbreak and grief will surface throughout our life. Loss of physical things, loss of dreams of the future, loss of loved ones, and loss of the life you pictured. But loss/grief can also lead you down paths you might not have otherwise had the ability or courage to see.

I am learning that loss when acknowledged and felt, is a great connector of humans. We may experience different kinds of loss, but loss is loss and when we listen, instead of assume or judge, “they” can become “we.”

“Loving ourselves through the process of owning our story is the bravest thing we’ll ever do.

-Brene Brown

Take care of YOU.

E

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Thank You for Doing Your Part!

I went on a long (masked) walk today.  As I walked around I was reminded that many folks fear they aren’t “doing enough.”  So many healthcare workers (and quite frankly many of us) feel guilt if we are sick, if we aren’t on the front lines, if we have to stay home with kids or if you are too high risk to leave the house.  I totally get it.  I also struggled with those feelings when I first developed a cough (that sent me home for 2 weeks) and my co-workers were in the thick of it.  But as I stayed home wondering if I had Covid-19, I realized my worth and value were not defined by my productivity, or my profession.  READ THAT AGAIN. Your value doesn’t decrease if you aren’t on the front lines.  You honor yourself and your community when you stay at home, when you don’t go back to work until you are recovered, and when you take care of yourself.

We live in a capitalistic society, so it makes loads of sense for you (and I) to feel inadequate if our productivity looks different these days.  So guess what?  We get to learn and practice a new thing.  We get to learn and practice to value ourselves, regardless of our profession or our likes on Facebook/Instagram, our productivity, or how well we are handling this homeschooling thing.

This time is particularly tricky for us doers.  When your identity is your career or how much you can check off your to-do list in a day, you may start to believe you aren’t “doing” enough because you aren’t being “productive” in the ways you are used to.  So for those of you who are particularly struggling with this, I want you to try a new approach.  When those feelings arise, notice them, and remind yourself “I am doing my part the best way I can right now.” If that means napping from exhaustion, you are doing your part.  If that means attempting to learn the on-line schooling system for your kids and managing multiple meltdowns, you are doing your part.  If that means working on the front lines, you are doing your part.  If that means staying at home, you are doing your part.

So if anyone hasn’t gotten around to telling you today, thank you for doing your part.

Take care of YOU.

Self-Care in the Time of Covid-19

Well this is something, isn’t it?  Just 5 months ago, we could not have imagined this new reality.  Yet here we are, and regardless of where you live in the WORLD, we are all dealing with life during a Covid-19 pandemic.  I don’t plan on focusing too much on the pandemic in this post, but instead the feelings connected to it. But I do want to say this.  My social media feed is full of health care workers, like myself, PLEADING for everyone else (ie: non-essential workers) to stay home. We see where this is going, and now is not the time to play invincible.  I live in NYC which has now been named the epicenter of the pandemic and nothing is more disheartening than reading about folks, disregarding the advice of medical professionals. That’s all I’ll say about that.

The act of social distancing alone is saving lives.  So now is not the time for beating yourselves up. When the self-quarantines started to hit the states, I saw many folks all over social media putting up schedules of how they planned to organize themselves and their kids while social distancing.  I remembering thinking, “Uh-oh that’s a lot to live up to…” This was immediately followed by posts (one day later) from parents stating that teachers needed to make 1 million dollars a year! I totally agree but also, expectations were set WAYYY too high.  Whatever they were feeling (anxiety, sadness, fear) their kids no doubt picked up on it too. So if you are finding home-schooling hard, remember this is super bizarro for them too. They aren’t with their teachers or classmates, and also remember kids don’t have life perspective like us.  We understand that eventually the pandemic will be over. But perspective is a gift of adulthood. We’ve experienced bad things coming and then eventually going. We’ve also learned bad things can happen right along side good things. These are invaluable lessons for kids. Geometry has its place (but really, does it???) but so does flexibility and resiliency. 

This is our new normal, and if you weren’t a work at home-r already, this adjustment can be tough.  For the first week or two (or 3 or 4), I suggest we throw expectations out the door. This is an adjustment period.  An anxiety-ridden adjustment period. If you are frustrated because your creativity/productivity is not flowing, don’t be!  I had to quarantine for a cough (I have asthma but had to be tested anyway, I tested negative). But during those days off I pictured myself blogging daily, finishing a couple of podcast episodes, organizing our apartment etc.  None of that happened. I was worried about the results, I was worried about my co-workers still in the trenches, I was worried about everyone I know around the world. I was WORRIED. And for me, creative juices don’t exactly flow during those times.  I did manage to cook, which for me is an accomplishment. I also managed to get in touch with friends and check in, which is something I often don’t (sadly) have loads of time or energy for. So instead of focusing on what I wasn’t able to do, I began curious and fascinated by what I did have the energy for.

Also remember that social media is a double edged sword.  When all the videos of Italians singing together from their balconies went viral, I saw one which made me snort laugh.  One lady took out her recorder to play some music for her neighbors and her husband came out and starting yelling at her to stop playing and they got in a huge fight in front of everyone.  It ended with her hitting him with the recorder. If you have moments where you feel like that, or feel stir crazy, or not so loving, this is NORMAL. Don’t practice violence especially with musical instruments, you may need those later.  But instead, try channeling that pent up energy and anxiety in other ways.  

Exercise!  I do not enjoy doing yoga, but I do it anyway.  Because at the end of each session, I never regret it.  I usually contemplate stopping the YouTube video (yoga with Adriene is my recommendation) a minimum of 15 times and just calling it.  I’ll admit to even calling the sweet yoga teacher names mid-video, and yet at the end of it all I feel GOOD. For those of you who suffer with anxiety or depression, I cannot stress this enough.  Exercising a minimum of 20 minutes a day, does soooo much good for you. It gets the blood flowing again, gives you an uptake in serotonin, and makes you feel more grounded. Don’t overthink it, just do it.  It also doesn’t have to be yoga, put on some tunes that you can’t help but dance to and MOVE.  

And lastly to my fellow essential workers, now is not the time to put yourself last.  When I got sent home due to a cough last week, I felt like I was letting my team down.  But my amazing team reminded me of the vital importance of self-care in times like these.  They needed me healthy. They needed me to set an example that if you are sick, you need to go home. I could have infected others with my self-importance.  And so I was humbled and stayed home. This Monday I go back to work, ready to work for the next round of this pandemic. Many formerly retired medical professionals are volunteering to go back to work and so I encourage all of us to be smart through this process.  Listen to you bodies, be examples to others, and whenever you can REST.

Much love everyone.

Take care of YOU.

 

 

 

 

 

A Decade in Review

Happy New Year!

This past year I didn’t do a lot of writing and that felt right.  I was working more on my podcast (sort of), and life was busy. But it’s the new year, and as of right now, I feel like writing.  In fact it feels so nice being back with my little laptop and cup of coffee on the 1st of the year!

If you haven’t already, I highly encourage you to take some time and reflect on the last decade.  Really go there.  I did this yesterday and I couldn’t BELIEVE all that happened in just one decade.  No wonder I’m tired!

Here are some questions I asked myself, (and by the way they come from a workbook Mel Robbins has created called Best Decade Ever which is free to download. If I was tech savvy I would include the link but, ya know, just google it 🙂  And thanks Mel Robbins for these questions!)

1.) Write down three times you felt most excited or energized in the last ten years.

2.) What big goals have you accomplished in the last ten years?  What are you most proud of?

3.) What did you not complete that you wish you had accomplished?

4.) What do you think held you back or kept you stuck?

Set aside some time this week, to really answer these questions.  Honor yourself and the decade, because I guarantee you aren’t patting yourself on the back as much as you should be.  A lot went down!

As I looked at these questions, my pen started flowing.  Stuff HAPPENED this decade.  Good stuff, bad stuff, scary stuff and risk taking stuff.  Many of which I had filed away and totally forgotten about.

Here’s how my decade began:

At the end of 2010 I was diagnosed with melanoma, which is a malignant skin cancer.  At the early part of 2011 I had a surgery that removed all of it, and showed that no cancer had spread to my lymph nodes, thankfully.  For the rest of the year I couldn’t shake the uneasiness I felt, that life is soooo short.  And so after a trip to Sweden, visiting a dear friend and finally allowing myself to freak out that I had had CANCER (?!?!?!?) and not just keep a “brave face” I told her I had been stuck.  The cancer had woken me up and I wanted to move to New York…some day.  As in, “wouldn’t that be cool?”  Some day….

Well I got back from the trip and decided to just see if there were any jobs in New York for nurses specializing in sexual health.  Oops, there were.  And oops they were looking for someone right now, and oh wait they were the sister clinic to my clinic in Boston.  Within a month and a half I was moving to New York and starting my new job at that clinic.  (Hyperventilating that entire month and a half, I’m not even going to pretend I was calm.)

That is how I STARTED the decade: cancer, then moving to NYC.  I truly believe because my decade started out like this, the rest of the decade was like, “Ok, I guess flying by the seat of our pants is our new normal!”

So moving back to you, how do you want to begin this year and decade?  You get to decide.  Do you want to:  take more risks, be more vocal, listen more, fall in love with your body, eat like your body is a temple, make lasting connections, make more art, lose your imposter sydrome, incorporate travel into your life, open your mind, get unstuck….

Whatever you decide, may I make a suggestion that might help?  Make dates with yourself and keep them.  Even if you have nothing planned, put away your phone, turn off your TV and even allow yourself to get bored.  Because boredom is WAYYY more powerful than you may think.  Ideas come from boredom, when you suddenly aren’t distracting your mind with social media, netflix or the news.  Some of you will have more time than others, no need to compare, just honor yourself by taking yourself on a date (even if that date is in your own house).  My guess is there are ideas that are dying to be allowed some space to surface.  Give them some space and feel free to report back.

Okay folks, as I always say you’ve got this.

Take care of YOU.

 

 

 

 

Rethinking Self-deprecating Humor

A couple of years ago, I was out with a dear friend having some coffee.  After becoming fully caffeinated and feeling at my comedic best, I began to regale my friend with all the things that were wrong with me using self-deprecating humor.  I started by berating my body, and I was on fire, never funnier! However, I wasn’t getting the response I wanted from my friend.  She wasn’t laughing?!  After a couple of more failed attempts I stopped cold.  This wasn’t working on her.  Instead of paying attention to my problematic content, I thought to myself, “Am I not funny any more?”

She saw the confused look on my face and explained that she had noticed whenever she was out with friends, the conversation almost always steered towards self-deprecating conversations.  She said she didn’t agree with what I was saying in the first place, and if she had laughed she would have felt complicit in those false beliefs.  As I sat there stunned, she then went on to say she had made the decision awhile ago, to stop saying horrible things about herself.  Truth is, it had never once helped her.

I sat there stunned.  Instead of humoring me, she was respecting me more than I respected myself.

Well, this conversation came back to me last week, when I listened to someone else give me an almost pre-written script about all the things that she HATED about her body.  It was funny, well-timed and clearly told many, many times.  I did my best to be a good audience but finally had to stop her.  I wondered out loud, “Why are we still talking about ourselves so negatively?  What is the point?  Does this help us in anyway?  Would you EVER talk about someone else like this?”  Thankfully, she allowed me my little rant, and as we talked it out, it occurred to us that negative self talk does not just go away, unless we work at.

I recently turned 40 and while there are many areas of my life that have gotten easier, bad habits do not just disappear on their own.  Alas.  So, if you have gotten in this habit as well, start paying attention to it.  I personally LOVE getting a laugh out of anyone that will listen, but if I throw in some self-deprecating humor there will always be a part of me that will be suspicious of that laugh.  Did they laugh because that was funny or did they laugh because they agree…you follow?  It’s doesn’t serve me.

If you have little ones around you, mentor staff, or have folks that look up to you, you better believe they are learning and absorbing all your insecurities as truth and applying it to their own existence.  I dare you to start being your own champion instead of your biggest critic.  Start flipping the script, notice what you say to others about your body, about your habits, about who you are.  If a friend said those things to you would you keep them around?  I should hope not.

*Side note:  If you do have folks in your life that constantly bring you down instead of lifting you up, this can be extra hard because you are being devalued by them AND yourself.  You deserve better and it’s time to take inventory on the folks you have surrounded yourself with.

This is a process, and while I wish I could say you turn a magical age and stop being your own worst enemy, that isn’t reality.  But the silver lining is (and you know I live for a silver lining) you can start turning this habit around almost immediately.  Friends may wonder why you are not joining them in being cruel to yourself, and I encourage you to share with them why not.

Do not give those hurtful thoughts or words any more air time.  They’ve been hogging the mic long enough.

Take care of YOU.

 

 

How’s that working out for ya?

First of all, Happy New Year everyone!  We made it another year!  Ok let’s dive right in!

Years ago, I was talking to my dear friend Paul about how I approached parties especially when there was someone I was interested in at the party.  I told him I would make my way around the party and talk to everyone BUT the one person I wanted to get to know.  My friend looked at me, paused and said, “How’s that working out for ya?”  We laughed until we cried, because he was sooo right, it was NOT working out for me.  I’ll never forget that statement because it forced me to acknowledge the silliness of my approach.  It has since allowed me to look at the silliness of many of my approaches.

I want you to think about some of the excuses you rationalize in your head about why you don’t do certain things that would be good for you.  I’ll start.  Typically after the holidays, I  start to see all my “hard work” of eating anything I want in large quantities,  “pay off.”  Suddenly clothes feel tighter, and even if I look exactly the same to everyone else I feel sluggish and blah.  Add the additional pressure I’ve put on myself to be good at self care (hahaha) and suddenly I’m spiraling even more.  The amount of time and energy I spend on thinking about what I should be eating or how I should be exercising and then beating myself up for not doing any of it,  is considerably more time and energy than it would take to simply put on my clothes and walk across the street to the gym. (Yep, my gym is across the street.)

So today I ask myself, “How’s that working out for you?”  Now, just like when Paul said that to me many years ago, it was not with malicious intent.  He was simply encouraging me (through humor) to explore my rationale.  So this is not meant to be a statement of shaming.  I want to be very clear on that.  We do not need to make any more room for shame in our lives.  Our thoughts are already very good at hitting us where it hurts.  This is meant to simply be a phrase to help you see if there’s another possible solution to your current “plan.”  All those years ago, I didn’t see the solution that was right in front of my face: Get out of my comfort zone and actually talk to who I want to.  Risk it.

Also, there is real power in sharing with others what you want to be doing or becoming.  Prior to voicing my party pattern, I was stuck feeling frustration and shame that I wasn’t meeting who I wanted to meet.  It took speaking my pattern out loud and having someone who I knew had my best interest in mind, to start to see things clearer.

We are so good at justifying things in our heads.  It’s a human trait.  We learn this from a very early age, so it’s ok if this feels hard at first.  The good news is we can outsmart our justifications. So as we fly into this new year, I encourage you to look at who you want to become and when an imagined road block appears ask if it is worth not going after the life you want (and if it’s helpful ask, “how’s that working out for ya?”) Fear doesn’t know the difference between real danger and getting outside of your comfort zone “danger.”  So you have to explain this to yourself when you are getting all worked up.

I leave you with a brilliant quote from Elizabeth Gilbert’s book, Big Magic (which I recommend to everyone forever):

“Fear, I recognize and respect that you are a part of this family and so I will never exclude you from our activities, but still your suggestions will NEVER be followed. You’re allowed to have a seat, and you’re allowed to have a voice but you are not allowed to have a VOTE.  You’re not allowed to touch the road maps; you’re not allowed to suggest the detour; you’re not allowed to fiddle with the temperature.  Dude, you’re not even allowed to tough the radio.  But above all else, my dear old familiar friend, you are absolutely forbidden to drive.”

Take care of YOU.

What if your thoughts were your biggest cheerleader?

I wonder how much of our thoughts are spent ruminating about stuff that doesn’t help us or move us towards our goals.  In my case, I would say a vast majority of my thoughts have gotten in my way.  In fact I would argue that allowing my unhelpful or unnecessary thoughts to take hold is some of the most self-sabotaging behavior there is.

It takes hold in many forms.  Sometimes I spend way too long thinking about something I could have said to someone after feeling attacked.  Or I spend time anticipating an argument that usually, NEVER happens.  Where my thoughts are the most sneaky is  when I am worried about loved ones.  Because their crises are often quite real I can convince myself that this is absolutely the only thing I should be thinking about.  I have even gone so far as feeling guilty for trying to better my life when everyone around me appears to be in a crisis.  Do you relate to this?  This is particularly tricky if you are working in the social justice field.  When you are seeing others struggling to a degree that you can almost feel your heart breaking, the guilt is real when you focus on you.  The good news is you can have both.  You can have an open heart, and move in the direction of your goals.  You don’t have to pick one, in fact please don’t.

So what do we do?  Start paying attention to what comes up in your thoughts and be picky about what is allowed to stay.  My therapist is actively attempting to get me to see this.  Why does this matter??  In my case, my thoughts have been distracting me from exploring new aspects of my life, for years.  When drama arises around me, I’m distracted from my goals because of how much time I give to the drama.  Whether it be in person or in my head, when I feel slighted, misunderstood, burdened and can’t stop talking or thinking about it, I’m self-sabotaging myself.  If you are not much of a talker and instead let this stuff ruminate in your head only, this is even sneakier because only you are privy to what goes in that noggin of yours.

What do you do when your mind will not get off the hamster wheel of worry or drama or obsessing over things?  Sonia Choquette, author of “Trust Your Vibes” suggests getting back into the present by literally naming everything you see around you.  For example, if I’m walking down the street and my brain is going a million miles an hour because of the latest work drama I say to myself, “Ok, get back to the present.  There’s a branch in the road, there’s some gum on that sign, there’s a woman with a fabulous coat, there’s a person who hasn’t looked up from their phone while walking….”  It’s like playing I-spy with yourself to get you back to the here and now.  Great news, it works.  You are redirecting/distracting your inner toddler.

Sometimes the best way to discover you are on the hamster wheel in your mind, is the way your body feels.  Is it tightening up?  Have you forgotten to breathe?  Are you clenching your teeth?  Then ask yourself, what was I just thinking about? Does this serve me?  Nope.  Then move yourself back into the present.

Now sometimes you truly do need to work through stuff.  I’m all about that.  But pay attention to the difference between working through things and distracting yourself.  I can’t tell you what is the difference for you.  But for me, if something has been resolved and I am still ruminating about it perhaps its time for some redirection.  And sometime this may require the help of a professional (therapist not hit man) to get you back on track.

Lastly, I want you to explore this idea: what if your thoughts were your biggest cheerleader?  Can you imagine this?  Simply asking yourself if your thoughts are being supportive/kind can sometimes be enough to bring your awareness back and prevent you from circling the black hole of self-doubt and loathing.  If as you read this you find yourself completely resistant to this idea, I encourage you to explore WHY.  Does it make you feel fake?  Does it make you feel like it’s sugar coating your REAL problems?  I get it.  I’m here to say I highly doubt that paying better attention to your thoughts will mean that from now on you will remain oblivious to the areas of your life that could use some improvement.  In fact, looking at your thoughts may help you appreciate how far you’ve come despite have a constant naysayer in your head.  And if this means that you will spend a fraction of time less being negative towards yourself, why not try it?

*Rule of thumb: If you wouldn’t say it to someone you care for deeply, don’t say it yourself.

I’m excited for our journey towards inner kindness.

Take care of YOU.

 

Check-in on each other, nap, do your best, repeat.

Last week, I binged on all sorts of crappy food.  I thought I was alone until I heard from my fellow women all over the country, that were doing the same thing.  Between the hearing, the Cosby case, patients’ traumas, and life it was just a hard week.  I have no intention of discussing these traumas, but I do want to acknowledge that if last week made you feel like you got hit by a baseball bat, you were not alone.

We all cope differently.  I personally don’t believe there is much point in berating yourself for how you might have coped last week.  I started to go there this weekend, when my clothes felt snug and I had to throw away countless wrappers from my emotional eating session.  But then I reminded myself that I had many triumphs last week, and eating well just wasn’t one of them.  Also as a reminder (to me and you), just because I got off track last week does not mean I will never eat a piece of fruit again or a green leafy vegetable again.  It was temporary.

On Thursday I realized I needed to do some baking, something about the fall weather brings that up for me.  I yearned to follow a recipe and just not think.  So when the weekend arrived I headed off to the grocery store for all the ingredients I needed.  On my way there, I realized I didn’t have a big enough bag for all the other groceries our apartment needed.  As I started thinking about everything else I needed to pick up I could feel my joy for my upcoming baking adventure fading QUICKLY.  I made the WILD decision that I would only buy what I needed for my pie, so that I could sustain my joy.  Guess what?  It worked!  I left the grocery store in record time and got to the important business of starting my self-care project of baking a pie.

……………

Check in on each other as we deal with all this triggering news right now.  Don’t forget naps are a thing we get to do too.  Rest is necessary always, and a powerful tool in recovery.

May this proverb carry you in the coming weeks:

“They tried to bury us, they didn’t realize we were seeds.” -Mexican proverb

Take care of YOU.

 

 

Self-care without self-love is just going through the motions.

Hey friends, it’s good to be back after a little hiatus from writing.  I want to plunge right in and talk about some stuff that came up for me this weekend.  I seem to often get clarity about things when I leave my familiar surroundings.  (I recommend this, by the way.  Your brain starts thinking differently in new settings, it doesn’t get hijacked by your errands or things you should do around the house.  Instead you are forced to look at the stuff you may prefer to avoid.  Although initially a little scary, pretty powerful in the long run.)  Anyway, this weekend it hit me why self-care is so damn hard!  We often don’t actually believe we deserve it.  Yup I said it.  I can give you all the tricks and tips for squeezing a little “me” time into your life, but you aren’t going to make it a priority if you don’t actually believe that you deserve this.  You may not even know you think this.  I sure didn’t realize it myself.  But if you aren’t practicing self-love and self-forgiveness, I promise you’re going to have a hard time prioritizing yourself at all.  It’s just not going to happen.

So in case it would help to hear someone else say you deserve love, compassion, kindness and care towards yourself, I am happy to be that person for you.  You deserve this.  I don’t care what your past looks like.  I don’t care if you feel like a horrible person most of the time.  I don’t care if you don’t think you deserve it, I’m hear to tell you, you do.  The problem is, it doesn’t really matter if I think this.  You need to believe you deserve this, and I can’t make that happen for you.  So if this resonates, allow me to offer this tip: fake it till you make it.  Pretend that you believe you deserve practicing kindness towards yourself.  Or treat yourself like you would a loved one, or a beloved friend.

Self-love like self-care can be demonstrated in so many different ways:

-Eat healthy foods, that fuel you rather than those that spike your blood sugar and then rapidly depress you

-Forgive yourself for past mistakes- don’t let the shame consume you anymore. Name them, own up, and forgive yourself.  Maya Angelou has a wonderful quote about this, “Do the best you can until you know better.  Then when you know better, do better.”

-Send love to your physical scars- put your hands on those scars, talk to them gently and lovingly.

-Attempt body positvity- don’t focus on what you don’t like about your body, highlight what you do like!

-Stretch! Get your body moving and oxygen and energy flowing throughout it, feel gratitude for it

-Write a letter to your “younger you.”  Be a big brother/sister to them, and write what you wish you could have told them

-Get a massage, acupuncture, Reiki- get the energy moving, and let your body feel pampered, appreciated

-Be aware of how substances make you feel after you partake.  Remember alcohol is a depressant so if you are struggling with feeling down that may not be the best go to.

-Create self-love rituals- ex: taking a bath by candlelight and bubbles

-Be in dialogue with yourself and pay attention to how you are talking to yourself without judgment, redirect where necessary

Everything takes practice folks.  Self-love and self-care are skills, which is great news!  We CAN get better at both.  See what you can implement into your life this next week.  And remind yourself you deserve it.

Take care of YOU.

 

A brief hiatus until September…

Dear friends,

You may have noticed that my blog posts have been more sporadic this summer.  As part of my self-care I have spent a lot of weekends away from the city.  This has been wonderful and has allowed me to recharge.  This has also meant that my weekend errands have been left for the week days.  So in an effort to not overwhelm myself, I am taking a brief hiatus from the blog until my summer gets less busy.

I will be back at it in September, as I have much more to write!  Enjoy the rest of your summer lovelies.

Take care of YOU.