Take a moment to reflect on what you do today for self-care? Spend time with friends/family, volunteer, eat well, exercise, meditate, do crafts, play or listen to music, keep a gratitude journal, get adequate sleep, etc.?
Any ‘conscious’ act you take in order to promote your own physical, mental, and emotional health is self-care. These acts then support the healthy functioning and enhancement of our well-being, which in turn helps you live our best life and be better prepared to help others formally and informally. If you don’t take care of yourself, you can’t take care of others…latest statistic is that 40 percent of family caregivers die before their loved ones. Self-care is not selfish. It’s also important for those who aren’t actively caring for another at this time to create a self-care practice for themselves…it’s good for the body, mind and spirit.
Engaging ‘consciousness’ takes you out of ‘auto-pilot,’ which is how many of us operate in our day-to day lives. Take a moment to think about your morning ‘routine.’ What order do you brush your teeth, wash your face, take a shower, turn on the coffee, let the dog out, feed the cat? Bet tomorrow morning you’ll be checking out your routine in a ‘conscious’ manner. Your body and brain benefits when you put thought into actions, especially with the routines of life.
Another act of self-care is to learn something new. Awareness is key to continuing to live a full and enriching life. Consider checking out the fall semester offerings through NAILS (New Adventures in Learning) which is affiliated with Chandler-Gilbert Community College and offered in Sun Lakes. It just so happens I’m teaching a number of classes with a self-care focus that might serve as awareness into new areas for you. My classes are held at 25105 S Alma School Rd, Sun Lakes or via ZOOM.
- Just B-R-E-A-T-H-E …. 11/6, 10-11 am …. Focuses on conscious breathing vs breathing automatically which supports relaxation and stress relief.
- The Power of Advocacy: 10/18, 10-11 am via ZOOM or 11/14, 10-11 am in person … Gain an understanding of the role of Advocacy in today’s healthcare environment, including the importance of self-advocacy.
- Life Lessons 101: 12/5, 10-11 am … Become aware of 5 +1 tools to simplify the way we think, act and move through life to de-stress and gain a positive sense of well-being.
- Movement Matters: 11/13, 1011 am … The body is meant to move so let’s discover a way to move that combines it with massage, meditation and breath to decrease stress, improve balance, posture and more…and have great fun while we’re doing it.
Click here to see all class offerings across a broad range of topics: https://www.cgc.edu/community/lifelong-learning/classes
Looking forward to having you join me for a class!!
Namaste
Joan Marlow, is a life-long learner and a forever teacher as the founder of Peaceful Easy Healing, where she lives her purpose and passion to help others live their best lives. Services include: Board Certified Patient Advocate, Life & Wellness Coaching, Reiki Master, TaiChiEZ Practice Leader, Educator teaching classes supporting self-care. She facilitates a monthly engagement session for those with cognitive impairment at Memory Café at the Sun Lakes United Methodist Church. You can contact her at 480-223-8899 or joan@peacefullyhealing.com. Visit her website peacefullyhealing.com