Self Care – Page 4 – Beauty in the Ordinary

fullsizeoutput_484 As women, we are taught at an early age that we are the caretakers and nurturers of others. And that is a beautiful job, one that I take seriously and feel honored to do. But to keep pouring out into and for others, we have to remember to refill our own cup. If you have ever traveled on an airplane, the following sentence should be a familiar one; “In case of emergency, air masks will drop from the ceiling. If you are traveling with a minor, please put on your own mask before helping the minor”; but how many times do we really follow these directions in our daily lives? When life gets hectic, your to-do list is never ending, your calendar is jam-packed, and you feel like you are pleasing no one, who is the first person to get pushed to the back burner? If you are anything like me, that person is the one that actually needs the most self-love and grace, that person is yourself. While self-care may seem indulgent and a luxury we can not afford, it is actually crucial to your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well-being. And honestly it doesn’t have to cost anything. However, one very important thing to remember about self care is that it is a practice, it isn’t something you just do once. By making it a part of your routine you are sending a message to yourself and others; that message is “I am worth it. I believe in myself enough to make myself a priority.” The benefits of self care are amazing:

Reduce the negative affects of stress
Your relationships will flourish
You begin to appreciate and notice the small things
Your physical health will improve
Your emotional health will improve
Your spiritual health will improve (do you see a pattern here?

This is just a very small sampling of the benefits. If you begin to practice self care I can guarantee you will add more to this list each time you take the time to make yourself a priority. In the coming days I will be giving you some suggestions of how to make self care part of your routine and not just something you dream about doing someday….I think you will be surprised at how little time and money it will take…and remember YOU ARE WORTH IT!!!!

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A very personal post today with a lot of words, so you have been warned. The picture on the left was taken May 11st, 2012, the day I entered Lakeside. The picture on the right was taken on July 23rd, 2018. I don’t even recognize the person on the left anymore. But I keep the bracelet to remind me how far I have come. There are so many people walking around out there that feel like I did in that picture on the left, defeated, hopeless and broken beyond repair. The night before this picture was taken I had taken an entire bottle of sleeping pills in hopes of ending the horrible pain I felt inside. But God has other plans. And I am so thankful He did. I am posting this because I know there are people who feel like I did in the picture on the left. And they are real feelings. And they can consume you and make you feel like there is no way out from the blackness you feel. I understand those feelings but I can promise you there is a better way. It won’t be easy…as a matter of fact, it may be the hardest thing you have ever done. I know it was for me. And there will still be dark moments. But you are stronger than the moments, because you are a mighty warrior. And I believe in you. And so do a lot of other people. You feel isolated and alone right now, but the simple act of seeking help will show you what an amazing support group you have. Because you are an amazing person created by an amazing God. There are many people out there who have walked this same journey you are on. Reach out to someone and let them walk beside you. I would love to be that someone for you. Because I believe in you.