Tag Archives: Self-care

Emotional Health, Health and Long Life, Holidays and Traditions, Relationships, Spiritual Well Being

Valentine’s Day Approaches

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Love makes the world go round. Love is all you need. Love conquers all.

Love is a basic need as surely as food and shelter. But what of the wall flower who has never had the chance to dance? What of the woman or man who has tirelessly put others first, giving and giving and giving love with no reciprocation until his or her well is empty and dry? What then? Does their world cease to go round? If all she needs is love, yet her emotional wallet is flat, and no one is handing out alms, how broke is she? Maybe he fought valiantly, believing love conquers all, but he lies slain by the lack of it, no reinforcements in sight. What then?

Valentine’s Day approaches. Some of you are going to have to learn to love yourself. For me, this has been a hard concept to grasp, but here is what I have concluded: Good religion teaches me to love my neighbor as I love myself.  If I honestly endeavor to love my neighbor as myself; which scenario results in more love to my neighbor; loving myself less? Or loving myself more? Further, I must learn to love myself unconditionally; to understand that I am not perfect, that I make mistakes. Once I understand and love myself unconditionally, I am able to extend that love to others.

Is it possible to declare, “I will love myself (and therefore others) unconditionally,” and just do it? Maybe it is different for different people. In any case, I find that the decision to engage in selflove has to be made over and over each day. Consider the main character in my work in progress:

She had to remind herself to engage in selfcare. To do it consistently until it became a habit. In the same way, she had to remember to love herself – unconditionally, lavishly, until it became a habit – until she became so loving that she was besotted – a soggy, full sponge – so that anytime she was squeezed, or pressured, or pushed, a little bit of love dripped out. 

Valentine’s Day approaches, are you feeling wrung out? May the only thing that comes from you be love.

May you love yourself lavishly and may you love your neighbor as you love yourself.

Emotional Health

Endeavors in Self-Care

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You have to be intentional about self-care and relaxation. Accordingly, I intentionally slept in on Saturday morning. I stretched and rose and put my organic flax and herb and lavender shoulder wrap in the microwave to heat. I had a plan. Saturday is my day off. I can go to work any time I please, I thought. For instance, I don’t have an appointment until 10:00 am. I will crawl back into bed and wrap up cozy with the organic heating pad and pretend I am at a spa. Maybe I will reheat the little flax sandbag and tuck it round my feet. Think of it, Self! You can relax.

It was 5:45 am and I was brushing my teeth when I noticed the distinct smell of popcorn. Popcorn? Who in my condo complex pops popcorn? I hadn’t even heard anyone else stirring.

I threw down my toothbrush and rushed to turn off the microwave. 7749 minutes remained on the timer. I charged across the room and jerked open the door to the outside air. There is nothing more nerve-wracking than a smoke alarm going off before dawn – or anytime for that matter. I switched the thermostat off – don’t want to heat the entire outdoors – and flipped on the stove fan and the bathroom fan.

Only then did I hazard opening the microwave door and quickly fishing out the burned healing pouch, evading the smoke alarm as I dashed to the door and flopped the thoroughly toasted flax beanbag onto the patio. But the planets! Oh the bright planets were in the sky and I had slept away 45 minutes of time I could have been hiking. Instead, leaving the outside door wide open, I wrapped up in my faux fur throw and watched the sunrise. Happy Saturday, Everyone!

Keep putting one foot in front of the other!