Given the increasing momentum behind self-care Sunday, it seems pretty clear now that we can do a better job of looking after ourselves, regardless of what day it is.
Knowing that our thoughts inform our habits, let’s pause for a moment to consider a normal week in the life of you:
- What personal need have you been ignoring or avoiding for far too long?
- In what ways are you being too hard on yourself?
- Where could you set some beneficial boundaries?
- Are any of your indulgences doing more harm than good?
According to Brianna Wiest, self-care is the art of parenting yourself. In that case, we really should listen to our (inner) mother. Unfortunately, some of our worst sleeping, eating and/or other lifestyle habits seep into adulthood. We accept them as being part of who we are. Could it be time to swallow our pride and “grow up”?
If “adulting” is the accomplishment of barely holding things together then maybe self-care is doing it in a way that’s long-term sustainable.
As instructors, we’re wired to lead the pack. But we get better at being ourselves when we give ourselves more grace to be and do less than we expected. We could enjoy more breaks from the pressures of our lives every single day if we simply owned up to the fact that most of the pressure is self-inflicted anyway.
So how does a busy instructor keep her life, and herself, in check?
- Carve out alone time and spend it in a way that genuinely nurtures you.
- Spend time outside.
- Get to know your tribe.
- Foster relationships both in the industry and beyond
On that note, every person in the world needs a mentor/mentee, and in any relationship of this nature, you are never exclusively one role or the other.
A great chat with candid feedback inspires us to carry forth the visions only we can see. Additionally, our companions help hold up the mirror to who we are so that we can see the obvious, for better or worse, and cast out our self-doubt. Plus, the more we get to know others’ vulnerabilities and setbacks, the more patient we become with our own.
The most magical mentor relationships are less about age than perspective. Spending time with people of all ages teaches us a great deal about grace. Whether for a day or a decade, there is always someone waiting in the wings that could help offer feedback and support or someone who could you call upon.
“You do you,” as they say – self-care for the soul, not the selfie.
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