Last year was a bit of a gong show and, like I mentioned in this post, this year I’m determined to take control of this 'ol thing called life.
To do that, I've really got to focus on what I need to be able to give more to the ones that need me. We hear it all the time. You need to take care of yourself before you can take care of anyone else, and I was definitely NOT taking care of me, and the humans in my vicinity are taking the brunt. It sucks for all of us.
“Self-care” is not my favorite phrase (I don’t know why, it just grinds my gears) but it’s the buzzword of the moment, so we will stick with it.
*note: Have you ever googled self-care to see what it is exactly that you should be doing to take care of yourself, and the list is like 1. Shower 2. Pet your cat 3. Take a nap....Erm?
This, for me, was not overly helpful. So I figured, my first step needed to be making my own list of things to care for moi. Here is what I came up with.
Project get it together
part deux: self-care for Ter
Habits (good/bad)
1. Less drinking. (Gah! I know, I know, nobody wants this. Sober Teri SUCKS, but she’s getting old, and beer = Benjamin’s, and my liver is cirrhosising. I’m not going full 12 steps just dialing it back a notch)
2. NO BUYING LUNCH! (I am not a Kardashian. This is extravagant behaviour that can no longer continue!)
3. Pay off debt and start saving for the future (Bo-ring! But a necessary evil to being an adult, and the older I get the more this has become a stress)
4.Drink more water ( It makes such a difference in my brains ability to function #whodathunk?)
Relax
5. Bath time (We just got a new tub and I'm SO happy! I can't wait to make bath time a more regular part of my evening routine!)
6. Meditate/carve out some "quiet" time. (I NEED to let my mind just be sometimes.)
7. Read (I barely read any books last year and it sucked. I’m firing up the ol’ library card and getting my book on!)
Energize
8. Iron pills (I’m anemic, but very rarely remember to take my pills...lame, cause they really work :/)
9. Exercise (I really like running outside, but I’m not hardcore enough to run when it’s -20. Now that the weather is starting to warm up again I'm hoping to get back into it!)
10. Eat better/more often ( I also have low blood sugar (I'm such a treat, right?) so eating often, and eating right are keys to me not losing it over nothing... Hangry is legit , yo)
Family
11. No more bringing work home. (I'm trying SO hard to leave work at work right now...but the struggle is real :/)
12. Plan more family outings (when I am home I want to make sure we are having fun and not just lolly-gagging around...although sometimes that's the best time!)
13. Spend more quality time with Ry (It's so tough finding time to hang out just us, but I want to try and be more intentional about the time we do get to spend together, and maybe spring for a sitter every once in awhile. #sacrilege)
As with all self-care lists I suppose, in the end its a bit "Uh, yeah...you weren’t doing that already?", but I guess that’s the whole problem. "Nah, I wasn't". So I’mma just leave this here, and see if I can follow through with some/any of it.
What are some of the things you are doing for self-care? Have you found it's made a difference in your daily life? Hit me up with the dets, I'm dying to know how adults are adulting.