The cliché “Take time to stop and smell the roses” has never been more applicable than it is today. With cell phones, pagers, email and text messaging, it seems like we always have to talk to somebody about something. When does it stop? Do you set aside time for yourself everyday? Do you ever stop for five minutes to just relax and take a deep breath? In other words, how do you become a better caregiver to yourself?
When we care for ourselves, it helps us cope more easily with all the external stressors that confront us. Everyone has something they like to do. It may be working out, going for a walk, sitting in meditation, reading or just going to a quiet place to be alone with their thoughts.
I started studying the Chinese martial arts a little more than four years ago, and I have to say that my time there has helped me to find “me.” At first, it was just something to get into better shape. After a while, the discipline of going to class—and pondering the movements and philosophies of the arts—led me into a deep study mode of everything I was learning. The more I found out about the arts, the more I found out about myself. This gave me a great sense of ease. I soon found that the more I applied the principles I learned in kung fu class, the easier the rest of my life became.
Finding time for yourself is very important in maintaining a sense of balance in your daily life. It doesn’t matter what your self-care activity is—just set a specific time and “do your thing” every day that allows you to “let go” for a little while. Then…thank yourself. After all, who can take better care of you than you?
This article is good advice for those people that “do too much.” And it gives a great example of something nontraditional that became his escape.
This example may help others think outside of the box when trying to come up with what relaxes them during their hectic day. I will say, though, that some people, myself included, when exposed to and working with children all day, enjoy some adult conversation at the end of the workday. My release is to walk the dog while talking on the phone to an adult. I would be careful claiming that all communication is a bad thing and stressor in people’s lives, because in my case, it serves as somewhat a release.
But the overall idea of taking time for yourself could not be more important.
By Nicole on August 18, 2009 at 12:16 pm