Reflections on Self-care – Repeat Rescue Attempts May Be Required!

Like when I was 27 and was diagnosed with mitral valve prolapse and WPW syndrome – two typically-not-so-serious heart conditions that were manifesting themselves (in my case) in heart palpitations and chest pains, due to stress at work. The doctors wanted to put me on “beta blockers” but I refused, and instead opted for a more natural approach: getting myself in check through yoga and breathing.

Then at 54, when I was serving as the 24/7, live-in caregiver for my mom, and I was too afraid NOT to make sure I put my own oxygen mask on first with regular exercise, respite breaks, and super healthy eating (and limited alcohol intake).

More recently, I suffered my first (and hopefully last!) attack of vertigo, which made me so dizzy I couldn’t even walk around my own house without assistance. I immediately went back to “Square One” with food and drink intake, and added the maneuvers that the doctor gave me for resetting the crystals in my ear canal. Thankfully, I was back to normal after only three weeks.

The importance of maintaining your balance on an ongoing basis as a preventative health measure cannot be overstated. Consistency with self-care is definitely an advantage, and for me, that takes focus and determination.

At the end of our challenge in 2019, I listed up the top 10 takeaways. Among these, I’ve learned that self-care improvements move forward best when you:

• Make a commitment and set your intention
• Choose some easy (yet effective) ways to show yourself you care
• Anchor and layer your self-care actions

One thing is for sure:

Nurturing your own best way forward with your self-care is a very personal and individualized endeavor, and it takes time and experimentation.

Another thing that’s for sure:

If you really want to improve your self-care, you can – even while you are caring for others. It may well take more effort than you thought it would, and you need to be ready to actively participate. One of our challengers told the story of how she had once participated in a whitewater rafting trip in Colorado. She didn’t know how to swim and was quite nervous about the whole thing. The guide gave her group fairly extensive safety training before the trip began, but he closed by telling them that the most important point was this: you have to participate in your own rescue.

For me, finding my best self-care formula has become a lifelong pre-occupation.

For example, in our past 31-day Easy Self-care Challenges, I’ve added some very helpful, permanent habits to my daily self-care routine (i.e., drinking lemon water first thing in the morning, adding essential oil to my after-shower body lotion, Joy Journaling a.m. and p.m.).

However, some of my self-care goals from last year have carried over into THIS year since I didn’t quite push them over the line last year. As the old saying goes: If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again!

My three big goals for this year’s challenge are to:

• Go to bed earlier (1:00 am curfew)
• Get more movement into my daily life: (at least) one 10-minute walk per day, three 30-min walks per week, two one-hour yoga classes
• Increase volume of “enlightening inputs:” (at least) 5x per week reading, listening, or watching something that provides a new perspective

So far, I’m happy to report I’m doing well on meeting these three macro goals.

Another self-care action I’m committed to is “doing one nice thing for myself “ every day – something above and beyond what I might normally do on an everyday basis. Here are the nice things I’ve done for myself since January 1:

• Started my day with lemon water (I’m “counting” this - even though it’s one of my standards - because I fell off my routine over the holidays and I needed to give myself a clear psychological boost of “starting again with the basics”!)
• Bundled up and spent some time outdoors (enjoying our first fire pit of the year, and surveying my herb hill and it’s “winter face,” and thinking of what I will do this spring with gardening!)
• Took a 2-mile walk on a sunny day
• Made a big pot of fresh veggie soup
• Worked on my vision statement and goals (immediate and long-term)
• Picked up beautiful flowers sent to me for my birthday
• Took off from 3pm on my birthday to enjoy the sunset and a fire pit (in which I ceremonially burnt a sheet of paper with three things I want to release (a technique called “bullshit burn” taught to me by a reiki healer awhile back)
• Caught up via Zoom with an old friend (2-hr chat!)
• Enjoyed doing a facial mask

I’m also doing “Dry January” – though I customized it by starting on Jan. 4, then took a 1-day break for my birthday, and now am back on it!

Oh – and my significant other, Bob, gave me a FABULOUS JUICER for my birthday, so now I’ll be able to make a fresh healthy concoction every morning. I’m researching the kinds of drinks I want to make to contribute to other macro health goals, such as lowering my blood pressure and blood sugar, and boosting my immune system. Very excited!

So my self-care is getting off to a good start, and I feel highly motivated to persevere and make this my best self-care year ever!

How is YOUR self-care coming along so far this year? It’s still not too late – you are welcome to join our challenge, where you can hear new ideas and experiment in a supportive environment!