7 Steps Towards Self-Care

Self-care is something that each of us has to come to in our own way. I can talk and talk and talk about what I do to take care of myself, but if it doesn't work for you, there is nothing that will help you at all! I also feel that self-care is an evolving process. What I did to refresh and renew my sense of self at 20 is significantly different now that I am not... 20 that is.

Today's post is going to focus on how to move into an attitude of self-care. Here are seven things, websites, posts, and ideas that have helped me in my therapeutic journey and use of sense of self in therapy.

1.  Compassion Fatigue Awareness - Do you know what compassion fatigue is? If not, you really need to find out. This is something that can happen to anyone who works in a helping profession. Being a therapist is definitely a helping profession. Here are some additional tests and resources: Professional Quality of Life Measure; Compassion Fatigue Self-Test; and a Life Stress Test. Being aware of your emotions, feelings, and status is the first step to good self-care.
2. Leisure Skill Development - This one is kinda a "duh" type of thought, but it's amazing how many of us need to reminded to cultivate habits, skills, and activities that are not part of our professional life. What do you like to do? Do you like to sing? Dance? Make stained glass panels? Clog? Run triathlons? Knit? Embroider? Sing? Geo-caching? Act? Audition for commercials? Make time in your life for leisure skills. Find something that makes you happy and do it!
3. Cultivate Relationships - John Donne famously wrote, "No man is an island, Entire of itself..." It is important to find your tribe of people and to spend time with them. We are meant to be social beings, so be social!
4. Take Vacations - It is important to vacate your regular life occasionally. Take the time that you have, and if you don't have time, schedule to take time. Find things that you can do that will fit within and not stress your budget. Explore things that are free or low cost. You may find a new leisure skill when you find things that are close to you.
5. Remember there are different types of self-care - Self-care takes many different forms. This link, from the University of Kentucky, describes some basic things to keep in mind as you are developing a self-care plan. Another link, from the University of Buffalo's (SUNY) School of Social Work offers a self-care starter kit to help you identify your specific areas of self-care. There are many checklists and measures available to assist you in developing your plan.
6. Talk to someone - it's important to talk to others about our self-care and attitudes before we get into situations of compassion fatigue or burnout. Find and cultivate relationships that help you identify when you may need a bit more self-care or when you are doing well. Talking, journaling, [Ahem] blogging about things that are going on helps you to identify patterns and potential situations - the good, the bad, and the ugly.
7. Make an Action Plan - Write down your ideas for self-care and actively practice those ideas. Make it a priority for you to engage in mindful self-care practices. Want more information? Check out this article.

My self-care plan for today is to do some dishes, some laundry, and some napping. I will open the windows and let the spring breeze come in. I will read books simply because I want to - not because I have to, and I will talk to my family. Tomorrow's self-care plan will be different. That's okay.