The Journey to Self Care
is because they do not think that they truly deserve what they desire. It is a great thing to want to accomplish things in your life for othersbut it is even more important to have an executableplan for yourself. Most people go through life trying to please everyone else, meeting their family’s needs and they put themselves last on the totem pole. I believe we have it mixed up, we are supposed to help others but we must be a priority on our own list of things that need to be done. You must understand that before you commit to fulfilling the needs of others, you must make sure you are filling up your own cup. Most people think that making themselves a priority in their own lives is selfish and I would beg to differ. By practicing self-care, you will position yourself to being able to live the full, abundant and holistic life you truly deserve. Self- Care is when you make it a point to do something for you on a consistent basis, which will empower you to be all that you were created to be fully. When we talk about self-care, it is important to realize that what works for one person does not work forsomeone else. For example, you may find that a long weekend of camping and hiking to be the perfect retreatfrom your normal life, while someone else may quake at the thought of sleeping outside in the cold without the comforts of home. You must ask yourself,what type of self-care activities make me feel fabulous, pampered and rejuvenated?There is no wrong answer, you must do what pleases you above all else.Sometimes you may have a problem with practicing self-care because, it does not fit in with your own perceptions ofwho you are and the roles you play. For example, someone might believe that being a mothermeans that they are supposed to sacrifice their own needs for those of their children, so to them self-care might feel as if they're "stealing" time or attention from their kids. Others may have similarissues around being a business owner, professional working mom, a wife, a college student, a geek, someone withweight issues, being a good member of their religion and so on.Alternately, the way you see yourself can limit the kindof self-care you feel at ease with doing. Ifyou are very athletic and identify as such, you may have no trouble exercising for hours at a gym but may feelbad about getting a pampering aromatherapy massage or taking an afternoon off to read the book that has been sitting on your shelf or on your tablet for years.
The holidays are now over, you have enjoyed spending time with your families, eating delicious and decadent foods and creating new friendships. You have celebrated the bounty of Thanksgiving and the blessings of Christmas and now you are facing the promise of a fabulous New Year. Now is the time where people begin to make what is known too many as New Year’s Resolutions. What are resolutions? They are a list of things people promise themselves that they will accomplish throughout the New Year. As the New Year, rolls on the resolutions simply become words on paper and do not carry much weight. Why might this be you may be wondering? I believe the reason that most people do not keep their New Year’s Resolutions is because they do not think that they truly deserve what they desire.
Cee Cee H. Caldwell-Miller
The Wellness Architect