#Self-Care is Trending
We were just catching our breath and feeling like things might get a little better. Then, it happened. The tide has once again turned and the guidelines, mandates, and policies that were lifted are being put back into place.
No one understands the need to protect the public more than care providers at the bedside. The hospitals are filling up as people are now being impacted by variants and children are getting sick as well. To top things off, there is a shortage of people to provide the care.
I have been a nurse for 20 plus years and have no issue with doing all I can to keep people safe. I also know there is another thing we need to keep front and center. The impact all of this is having on mental health and eventually their physical health secondary to that is real.
Self-care is Everywhere
Everywhere you turn there are posts, hashtags, and articles about self-care. I am a fan of self-care. My family gives me bath bombs, face masks, and various gifts in this category for birthdays and other celebrations. It’s welcomed anytime. Yes, I might be dropping hints!
Search for it on the web, in research databases, and magazines. Right now most people agree, we all need to do something to unwind. Stress is at an all time high.
You might be a doctor, a nurse, a teacher, a parent, or student. No matter who you are, these are the times that try [people’s] souls. Yeah I might have heard that somewhere.
Signs You Might Be Stressed
Stress can show up and make itself known in many ways as the picture tells us. It can be an internal feeling or it can be a physical symptom. It can be mimic or mask other concerns like anxiety. The bottom-line is, if you feel it, then it is real to you and something should be done about it.
In 2015 stress showed up for me as a stroke, also known as, my brain had a blood vessel that started leaking. I am alive to tell the story and that is why I am sharing this story with you. If we’re possible to press charges against stress, the case would be for attempted murder. Call me dramatic, but a brain surgery, 4 weeks in intensive care, plus inpatient rehabilitation, and outpatient therapy is dramatic.
I would like to blame my stroke or a chronic condition such as high blood pressure, but none of that was true. The truth was, I worked hard; all the time. I drank a lot of caffeine to keep me going, and I worried a lot. My brain never stopped even when my body did.
Self-care was usually mandated by exhaustion!
Then, post-stroke I learned a new way of living. Or so I thought. COVID, social injustice, life in general flipped the script. Now, we are caught in this time loop. What do we do?
We Do Self-Care
When I say do self-care I’m making a call to action.
Take your current practice up a notch by doing less and making it count
Some options to swap out for your current practices:
- Drink more water and less caffeine (hey stop the name calling)
- Get an extra hour of sleep and watch stream less
- Say “no” more often instead of saying yes when you don’t mean it
- Say “yes” more often instead of staying home and not having fun
- Get your teeth cleaned (when the masks come off the missed cleanings will show, lol)
- Sit still for 5 minutes, whatever it is will still be there
These ideas are purposely not complicated. Don’t think hard about this. Let your heart lead the way and tell you what it needs.
What can you swap out for something more impactful to your well-being that will not feel like a burden?
I need some more ideas myself so feel free to share.
