Back to basics

Yep, I am harping on about self-care again.

Cos, really? It’s flipping essential and ongoing.

And when I say ongoing, I mean ONGOING. There is no end to this. Yours (and my) self-care is vital and never-ending. And even I forget this.

I recently took a few days off social media. Not because I hate it, I enjoy it, and I like to share/help others through my channels. TBH I was a tad annoyed at the #covid stuff, but really…? Social media was consuming my time and energy…as was helping others in my life. I had started to help the people in my life a teensy bit more than usual, and I was out of routine in my self-care stuff.

If you have been following me for a while, you know I like to head to the beach, grab a coffee, take a walk and journal. Had I done this? Barely. I have excuses that the weather is crap, we are in lockdown, and I don’t have time. But the honest truth is that I was not caring for my mental health and looking out for others…more than myself. And this is a pattern that in the past would get me into trouble. To the point where I would be a shell of myself, and the people close to me would get the scraps of me—the resentful, tired, cranky, angry version.

These days I am a little wiser (I’d like to think!), and now I catch myself a few days into this pattern of NOT caring for myself. My signs are that I get sadder than usual, crankier and annoyed more quickly and want to sit on the lounge and do FA.

But it also creeps up on me. Cos’ I ignore these signs and put them down to the fact it’s Winter, and I am a summer gal’ or that it’s just a busy time of the year. Or that we are in a world pandemic.

And that happened.

So, I had a human moment.

Luckily I have people close to me that can point things like this out to me too! #thankyou

So, I opted out for a few days, went for walks at the beach, read an entire fiction book under a blanket, ate nutritious food, journalled, and sat in the Winter sun. I was careful with my time with others and got back to basics with my self-care.

It. Was. Bliss.

Interestingly, I am even more focused, clear-headed and full of energy as a result! And, yes, I know that this is seemingly obvious. BUT again, I forget the power in this!

So, my message to you? Well, my friend – if you are feeling frustrated, angry, cranky, resentful, out-of-sorts or just plain emotionally tired. Do a check-in, or get someone to help you with your check-in. Sometimes others can see more than you can.

Then get back to basics.

Do the things that fill your cup. They can be as simple as going to bed a bit earlier, reading that dirty novel in your lunch break rather than rushing to do the shopping. It could be shutting the bathroom door and taking a solo bath with your earphones. It could be having a cuppa with your favourite magazine. Whatever works.

Fill your cup.
Regularly.

Then remember to do it again and again. Yes, and again.

Because really? Without you, who will care for your family? The oxygen mask on an aeroplane analogy is old but totally true. Look after you, first. Then you can care for others.

And if you need a hand? Join me in my Living with Intention Facebook group (free), and I will be doing a three day ‘Back to basics’ self-care programme next week. You can ask me what you need help with, and I will give you a plethora of ideas to cement this into place.

So, my friend – what are you doing for you today?
Emma x