Question: Why self-care?
Most of us have flown in an airplane before, and most of us have heard the flight attendants give their speel before the plane takes off. They tell us how to buckle our seatbelts and where the nearest exits are. But they also tell us something that is vitally important to our survival. They say if the cabin pressure should change, then oxygen masks will drop in front of us. And if you are traveling with small children or older adults, you are supposed to do something with that oxygen mask. You should put yours on first. Why is that? It’s because you are no good to anyone passed out on the floor.
Not taking care of yourself is like not putting the oxygen mask on. You are going through the motions, but gasping for air.
Question: So, how do we put the oxygen mask on ourselves?
- Be kind to yourself. Self-kindness means we stop the constant self-judgement and understand our faults instead of beating ourselves up about them. We need to actively comfort ourselves when we are having a tough time….just like we would do with a good friend. In other words…be your own best friend.
- Practice good self-care. I’m not talking about self-indulgence or pampering, although that is nice once in a while. I’m referring to choosing behaviors that help balance the emotional and physical stressors in our life. Eating healthy foods, exercising and getting enough sleep are important. A big part of self-care is learning to self-sooth when things go wrong. We need to recognize that critical inner voice, and change the internal negative banter to something more helpful and realistic.
- Learn to say no. Set boundaries. We often over-commit because we want others to like us. We need to get clear on what’s important to us and what and whome we want to include in our lives. This is often the hardest thing to learn because we do not like the idea of disappointing others.
If you or someone in your life would like to explore self-compassion, please call Penrose-St. Francis Women’s Behavioral Health Services at 634-1825
