Also, when you hear self care you think of long bubble baths and that just is not happening here. Showers only happen when there are two parents in the house so someone can still watch the pulse ox, pumps and oxygen. Spas are not really my thing and I don't really care for alcohol... I like wine from one specific winery only, and I don't like to taste alcohol in other things. I would always think that I didn't like any of the self care things.
But 5 years into being a special needs mom, I think maybe I gained a tiny bit of wisdom, it doesn't matter what self care looks like for others, and it doesn't have to take huge chunks of time, it just has to fill you back up.
Here are some of mine:
-I love stove top cream of wheat. It takes a while, so I normally do the instant in the microwave, but I have been getting better about getting a pot out and boiling water and making it the long way. It tastes better and makes me smile. Its simple but its for me.
-Trips to Target. I love just walking around Target. Its calming. I totally took both my kids to Target on Friday because Lydia learned the world no and was using it at will for everything and anything and then anytime she said the word no Jilli would cry, it didn't matter if it was directed at her or not. We went to Target just to walk the isles.
- Disney Vlogs. Going to Disney World is my ultimate self care however that can't happen all the time so I watch Disney vlogs. I love Dis unplugged, Tim and Jen, Justin Scarred, World of Micah, and Disney food blog. These can be on in the background while doing other things but they make me smile and think about being Disney.
-Music in the car. We spend a lot of time driving to appointments and therapy. Sometimes Jilli really likes to listen to her "hospital songs" but the rest of the time I listen to music that pours into me. We listen to a lot of Jon Foreman, Switchfoot and Mat Kearney. Those songs help me wrestle with life.
-Starbucks... I'm one of those people who loves a good cup of coffee. I try to budget how much I got to Starbucks because it adds up, but it is one of those things I do just for me.
-Blogging. Write helps get stuff out of my mind. It gives it a home in text. It helps me with note keeping. And it is a great place to look back and remind me of things I am thankful for.
-When we are in the hospital I take me time by looking out the window. We are typically on one of the higher floors in the tower so we can see for miles. The hospital are a lot of trees around it. Sometimes even just watching the traffic is a distraction.
-Helping others. Right now we are in the middle of the band aid drive (thank you to everyone who has donated so far). There is also a pile by my front door of things that are headed to RMH, and that pile seams to always be there because once on batch of stuff goes to RMH we are given more stuff to bring up there which is amazing. Working on these projects fills me up. It reminds me of the good in humanity. It shifts my focus and its something that I can use my administrative skills at.
-Text and spending time with friends. I am a introvert so I don't like to be around people all the time and small talk just isn't my thing, but I love when I get to spend time with people that I am invested in. Often its with my kids and having a play date of our frequent dinners when Jaime and Jason come over, or hanging out with friends at rmh.
-Being put together for appointments. I feel better and more engaged when I am dressed in something I feel good in. I make a point for doctors appointments and hospital visits to look put together. Part of it is that I know we as people see each other differently when someone is dressed nicely vs looking like a hot mess. Trust me, I have plenty of hot mess looking days, but I try to be intentional to be put together for medical things. Now I do love when being put together and comfy mix (I'm wearing Lularoe right now lol) but I feel more ready to tackle to world when I get dressed in something other then pajamas.
None of these things take giant chunks of time. Many of them are also productive, I need to eat, we need things from Target sometimes, we have to drive anyhow so might as well listen to something I like. I think self care is less about taking big pauses out of your life and more about taking life and finding things you enjoy to add into the mix. Its about finding joy in the every day things. If someone had explained self care to me that way several years ago I think I would have thought about it more and worked to find ways to add it in, instead I blew it off because I knew I didn't have large chunks of time. What ways do you add self care into your every day?
No comments:
Post a Comment