Before I started working on this post, I looked at the calendar to see how many more Sundays we had left in the month and I cringed because after today, I still have to craft two more ways that Receiving Gifts can be transformed into self-care. I know I’ve complained in the past, but this one is really not easy guys, not easy at all!! But I’m making it work and I’m impressed at how creative I’ve been and how I’ve been able to find self-care in so many different areas in our lives, even in the mundane. The word says it, SELF-care but there are a variety of ways that we receive self-care from the people in our lives (friends and family), and before I came up with this idea I never associated self-care from others as a form of self-care (unless you count seeing a therapist). We rely on our friends and family for so many things that cater to our emotional needs. For example, when we are feeling down or need advice we usually reach out to someone close to us that we can confide in. When this became clear to me, I came up with the following ways.
I’m referring to them as subtle because these are easy everyday gestures that we’ve grown to accept from family and friends. To us it’s what they’re “supposed to do” so we would likely not consider it a form of self-care; especially since we’re not doing it for ourselves, it’s someone else’s doing. My hope is that after you read this post you’ll begin to look at your relationships with others on a deeper level. These set of challenges will be structured differently because we have no control over when people do things for us (unless we ask). This week I will not be providing daily challenges, it will be seven ways you can identify when those who are close to you do things (or give you gifts) that cater to your emotional self-care.
- THE GIFT OF SPACE because sometimes we need it. Having time to yourself is really important because it gives us a chance to check in with where we are emotionally. Sometimes we can ask others to give us space but there are times when we are given space that we didn’t ask for and believe it or not, that’s for the other person’s benefit as well as our own.
- THE GIFT OF LISTENING sometimes all we need is for someone to hear us out and give us room to vent about what we have going on. Those really close to you will likely know when you need someone to just listen and not give advice.
- THE GIFT OF THOUGHT one of my personal favorites. One of the best gifts a person can give you is to give you a call just to talk or check in with you because they were thinking about you. Sometimes we reach out to them and they say “I was just thinking about you.” I know when this happens to me it makes me smile and feel special.
- THE GIFT OF GIFTS when I came up with this one I thought about the above because on several occasions I’ve been out and some item in a store or something I saw while shopping online made me think of a friend. Sometimes I make the purchase. Surprise gifts are the best, especially when we receive something from someone that’s spot on (i.e. a gift that suits our personality).
- THE GIFT OF HELP I’m currently experiencing this. I’m in the process of making a move out of state and I have friends in the state I’m moving to, looking at places for me and sending me videos. Helping someone is form of self-care because based on what you need help with, getting the help when you need it reduces your stress or anxiety level.
- THE GIFT OF CONVERSATION there are a few people in my life that I always have great conversations with. Conversation about nothing and everything at the same time. Especially over coffee or a glass of wine. Great conversations should not be taken for granted.
- THE GIFT OF QUALITY TIME I think this will look different for everyone because we each have our own way that we like to spend quality time with our friends and family. Sometimes it’s enjoying coffee with each other in silence or booking a trip for a weekend getaway.
Make it a goal this week to try and spot some or all of these factors from a friend or family member.
Moving on to our Self-Care on the Go infographics; Self-Care on the go are essentially bite size versions of my self-care challenges. It’s open to anyone but it’s specifically created for moms and other working women; who may not have time to participate in all (or any) of the challenges that I provide weekly because of their mommy duties or busy work schedule. You can access the infographic HERE. I’ve been posting them every Sunday since the beginning of the year and I really enjoy creating them. If you’re one of my readers who participate in, or enjoy these options because you find them convenient, leave a comment and let me know what you like about them or what you think I should change. Thanks for going on this self-care journey again with me this week.
By the way, if you’re interested, my Newsletter and Self-Care Accountability Worksheet is now available. The worksheet will act as a supplement to my daily self-care challenges. The purpose is to help you stay on track with your daily self-care routines. If you’re interested in receiving these items weekly, email me at tam33ks@yahoo.com. The self-care worksheet is FREE, but will only be available to my Newsletter subscribers. I will NOT spam you, I will only email once per week.
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