I don’t know about you, but when I hear of folks spending a day doing something amazing for self-care like going to the spa, binge watching movies and not getting out of pajamas until 4 p.m., or going on a get-away I wonder what it is I’m not doing right. Why can’t I seem to prioritize and plan a whole day to spend recharging? Well friends, that is not the stage of life I am in, and I am excited for and praise folks who take a day, weekend, or week to focus on themselves!
I’ve had quite a few plates spinning for some time now, and in true (me) fashion was rushing into a meeting a minute or two late on a cold Thursday morning and just so happened to notice the scent of the winter air. I ended up stopping for just a moment to fully engage in my surroundings—The sharp winter sun, the glistening pine needles on the trees, and the frost that had built up on the windows. I listened to my own breath and the beating of my heart and in just a moment felt much lighter. This is what I am coming to recognize as a micro act of self-care. Something about my state of mind made me take notice, and by allowing myself to acknowledge this moment as important and stop my rushing about I felt more connected to me and the world around me. This micro act of self-care led me to being more open, honest, and communicative in my morning meeting than I had anticipated, and I really believe it’s because I took a minute to pause and care for me.
So often we walk around carrying experiences that go unrecognized. My challenge to you this week is to notice, acknowledge, and connect when your body is telling you something. For instance, notice your shoulders are up by your ears, acknowledge that you just came for a challenging interaction with someone and it is impacting you, and connect by taking a moment to breathe, slowly lower your shoulders, and engage in your thoughts and feeling about that interaction.
We carry ourselves around with us every day, dear friends and my hope for you this week is that you can take a moment to notice, acknowledge, and connect with yourself with kindness and care.