Are you the person who works, takes care of your children, gets dinner and then cleans up? On the weekends, do you also help your parents or your siblings? Now add to all of that the strain of losing your job! Do you know how to take care of yourself during times of stress?
Acknowledge Your Needs
Many of us (and yes, I include myself in this,) struggle with thinking of our own needs first. We’re so used to putting our children first or our parents or even our own siblings or friends. Need a hand? I’m there for you. Want some help? What do you need me to do? Need extra money? How much?
And yet, we find it hard to ask for help in return. We get so caught up in meeting the needs of everyone else, that we forget about our own needs. But if you don’t take care of your own needs first, you run the risk of hitting a wall or worse, getting sick. If you’re sick, how can you take care of anyone else?
Free Ways to Take Care of Yourself
This won’t be a post about how you need a massage or a mani/pedi to take care of yourself. All are things I advocate and think are important, but considering I and my co-workers are losing our jobs next week, here are some free ways to take care of ourselves.
- Meditate. I can’t advocate this one enough. Chris and I recently picked this back up because it really does help to calm our minds down, focus us and, for me, helps me to get to sleep quicker.
- Watch some clouds. Seriously, take the time to just look up at the clouds. It can be fun, too, if you find the pictures in the clouds.
- Go for a hike. It can be a walk, a hike or a visit to the gym. Get the body moving, blood circulating and the endorphins flowing.
- Be grateful. Chris and I keep a Gratitude Jar and write out things that we’re grateful for. Big or small, it matters not whether you’re grateful for a puppy to cuddle, a child to hug, a husband who takes out the garbage without being asked or a sunset. Whatever it is, write it down. You can try a jar, or you can write in a journal. Some people do it at the end of the day by writing down 3 or more things they were grateful for each day.
- Go out by yourself. Yes, by yourself. Go to the movies, or the park, or the library or the beach or wherever you want to go. But go by yourself so you don’t end up taking care of others. This one is a treat for you, to help you. Go watch that movie that no one else in your family wants to see. It’s ok.
There are hundreds of other free self-care options. Use these as a starting point. Maybe you don’t want to watch clouds but would love to take a bubble bath in peace. Then it’s time to make plans to get everyone else out of the house so you can have an hour to yourself. However you do it and whatever you choose to do, remember it’s not a one-time thing. Taking care of yourself should be a daily thing.
YES! I’m a firm believer in meditation. No matter how short or long, it can usually ground me enough to get through. Self-care is very important especially for us older broads. 🙂 Thanks for sharing this!
The meditation I totally agree with!!!
And the others!
I’m learning to take much better care of myself…without feeling any guilt for doing so. Even a short walk by myself, which I unfortunately rarely get the opportunity to do, is really energising. Wonderful tips!
Sadly, we have to learn how to take care of ourselves instead of having it be second nature. Glad that you’re getting out for a walk.
I meditate, too. Plus I try to be in the moment a lot throughout the day. We have a gratitude jar, too. Good suggestions. Have you read 10% Happier by Dan Harris? He has a podcast too by the same name and it’s really good. I highly recommend it.
I haven’t read 10% Happier, I will need to check it out and his podcast. Thanks.
Meditation and long walks are brilliant. My go-tos are meditation, painting, and reading. 🙂
Glad you have go-tos. Most people don’t.
Meditation continues to be something I want to create a habit to do. It hasn’t happened yet and “forcing it” feels wrong. I’m waiting, I think, for some clear moment or invitation from the world in some way to get started. Thanks for the simple, thoughtful ideas.
Consider this your invitation. Just sit quietly for 5 minutes, that all. Then count your breath. Each inhale/exhale is one breath. Count to ten and then start at one again and keep going for 5 minutes. That’s all. I use Insight Timer, which is a free app, as my timer.
Ok. I’ll try it today. 🙂
I’d like to know how it works out for you!
This is inspiring post. Thanks for sharing tips
Self-care is incredibly important. It is one of the things I stress a lot on my own blog. You have to take care of you first in order to take care of others. Great post!
Thank you! And thanks for stopping by.