3 Ways I Practice Self Care as a Licensed Therapist
Me in my garden, one of my most favorite places to be!
Self care can mean so many different things for different people. In our media it is often portrayed as getting your hair and nails done and "treating yourself." While this can be a way that you can show yourself care, it can also take on a whole other meaning as well.
For me, the pillars of my self care are creating, moving, and nature. These are three things I try to incorporate in my daily life.
Creating - For me, I find satisfaction and release in creating something from what was once nothing. Growing up I have always enjoyed the arts, whether it be painting with watercolors or drawing with charcoal. In graduate school I had several peers who crocheted and I was fascinated and amazed by the different designs they were able to create. I learned this new hobby and it is now one way I try to create each day. Sometimes it is more than others. Sometimes I sit down for hours and get lost in a pattern, and other days I struggle to pick it up and make even a few stitches. However, this is something I know I can turn to at any point and it will be there for me when I am wanting,
Moving - One thing that I have struggled with throughout my life is moving my body according to its needs each day. During graduate school I shifted my perspective on movement to something I get to do, rather than something I have to do. Now, I try to incorporate movement into my daily life based on what my body feels that day. I have chronic pain in my hips and quads, so this impacts my daily movement. On days where I am feeling good, I tend to opt for walk/run. But on days where my pain is bad, I go for a brief walk, or opt for yoga or stretching. I also love connecting with people through movement such as tennis or skiing. Regardless of the activity, tuning into my body and its abilities and needs each day has realigned my perspective on movement and shifted it into being a pillar of my self care.
Nature - I feel at peace in nature. I feel the calmness, the stillness, and am able to just be. Each day I try to get outside and do something in nature. This can look like a walk, tending to my garden, reading in my hammock, or filling my bird feeders. I try to connect with the wind, the birds chirping, and the views of the tree branches rustling in the wind. In nature, everything seems to slow down. Through this, I feel myself slow down as well. We live in a society where we are so career-oriented and often adopt a go-go-go mentality. Nature can be a reset where we are allowed to just be. And for that reason it is something that I have found helpful to prioritize each day.
So, now I want you to reflect. The three above are MY pillars of self care. But what are yours?
