Getting clear on the what’s and why’s of YOUR self-care
Last week, I shared some insight on self-care, beginning to demystify the limited view many of us have of what is means to “care for the self.” This week, I wanted to expand more on that, especially in light of the recent dramatic and possibly traumatic experiences many of us have been under the weight of lately.
If you are like me, the last month has been a roller coaster of emotions, motivation, energy levels, and sanity at times. Uncertainty and fear do that to us. Add in the fear and uncertainty of the entire human community. Dear god, we’re lucky to be functioning at all.
This week, I wanted to expand on our insight last week with the concept of energy management as a key component of self-care. For many of us more energy is the main objective of our self-care pursuits but we are not being clear enough about it!
And now for the details…
Our bodies are more than just physical, they are mental (thoughts and beliefs), emotional (feelings about those thoughts and beliefs), and spiritual (connection to ourselves and others). Each of these body systems have pools of energy that we draw from to live our lives, to excel, to love, to grow, to try hard. Each of us has unique pools, with unique uses, and unique things that add and subtract from our pools.
Energizers are what add to our pools in small or significant ways. They are people, places, activities, thoughts, and feelings that align with our values. We like them easily or by choice, they are things that light us up, make us feel like ourselves, bring out positive emotions.
Drains are those that subtract from our pools. Like energizers, they can be big or little holes in the pool, and are people, places, activities, thoughts, and feelings that misalign with our values. We dislike them easily or by choice, they are things that leave us feeling some flavor of “bad,” make us feel like a not-preferred version of ourselves, bring out negative emotions.
And now, take this insight into action…
Write down 1 thing (person, place, time, activity, etc.) that energizes each body system: mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually. Then, do the same for things that drain each of those body systems.
Any ah-ha’s? Struggles? Which aspects of the list were easier to uncover? Took more time?
This, effectively, is a menu or the start of a road map around your pools of energy! Energizers are powerful self-care. When drains are present or can be anticipated, it is a time to tune into ways to nourish and energize.
Want more insight?? Check out my Epic Energy Mini-Course!
As always, you are more than enough,