Self Care – Is it a treat or an essential part of life?
We see the phrase “You can’t pour from an empty cup” all over social media, but what does it really mean?
If you have used up all your energy, time and organisation skills making sure everyone else is in the right place at the right time, that everyone else is taken to appointments, everyone else has clean clothes/uniform, that there’s food in the cupboards that everyone else likes and everyone else is generally cared for and listened to and supported, what have you got left to give? It might feel selfish to take time out for you when life seems like a continual hamster wheel, but actually, if you don’t look after you, what happens to you and “everyone else” when you finally break?
Most of us don’t realise that the constant thinking about family and work, even if we love them and have the best workplace in the world, can lead to a gradual increase of stress. You can increase that instantly, if you have demanding job or you feel resentful about any aspect of your “duties”.
Over time, that stress builds up and can manifest itself physically and emotionally. That cup, which should be full of well-being, love and positivity gets drained and replaced with exhaustion and negativity.
So how can we re-fill that cup? By taking time for ourselves…do something for you too each day. Even something as simple as reading a good book, or taking the time to enjoy your coffee, rather than slurping a mouthful as your run out the door will start to help. Make the appointment with your doctor that you keep putting off, meet a friend for a catch up, have a “date night”, book a massage, get your nails done/get a haircut, meditate…anything that you enjoy and have missed for a while. It doesn’t have to be everything, every week, but make that time for you and get that cup re-filled.