Self Care: What Rejuvenates Your Soul?

If you’re in the mental health or helping field; you’re always encouraged to do “Self-Care.” When I go to trainings, we’re constantly informed how important self care is and how wonderful self care is. The truth is we’re all very good at talking about it but no one really does it. Hence, many of us in the helping field are burnt out.

As shared earlier, I turned to baking as a form of my self care when dealing with many difficult cases as a social worker. Baking made me feel joy, inspiration as well as a form of creative expression. I like to think of self care as something that rejuvenates your soul (I know it’s cheesy, but I absolutely love the cheese). What is that one thing that you do that you completely lose yourself in? What’s something you do that while doing it, you forget about time and just have the time of your life? What is that thing you do that brings you joy, inspiration, and the motivation to keep going. If you haven’t found that thing yet, maybe you can take a few moments to think about it. Sometimes its trial and error. You have to try certain things to find the things you’ll love.

Although self care can come in all kind of forms, I think there is a difference in self care and numbing. I too partake too often in binge watching my shows. Side story… one time when I was binge watching a show on Netflix, it asked me “hey are you still there watching?” I was a little offended by this because clearly I was still here and still binging on my 4^rd hour. At that point I thought okay, this has become beyond self care and now I’m avoiding my responsibilities and just numbing out. I believe that we don’t have to be productive all the time, but relaxing and numbing are two different things.

The more we can take care our own souls, we can better take care of others. When we don’t have the capacity to take care of yourselves, we won’t have the capacity to help or lead. What are your thoughts on self care? What are somethings you do to rejuvenate your soul?