Just checking in with you.... how are you feeling? Not just physically (although I hope all of you are well and free of COVID-19!), but emotionally? Mentally?

We are in unprecedented times. Not one of us have lived though anything quite like this before. In a world where there is so much unknown we need to find a place where we can stop, take stock, and breathe.

Here's the thing.... a lot of you are confined to your home, all of a sudden having to stay home from work, needing to help your kids with schooling options, and keep yourself from going stir crazy at the same time!

It is times like these that we have been practicing self care! It is also times like these that we will need to rely on some more.... unconventional or creative self care techniques. Your usual "go-to" options are likely either not available or not a good idea... So what on Earth can you do instead??

I want us to collaborate and start a list together! What can you do, or are you doing, to remain calm and relaxed and take care of yourself right now? Let's be creative, and share our ideas!

But before we get started, I just want to say one more thing. This is a time where we need to model things for our children.  We need to model listening and following directions, being thoughtful but not reactive, and caring for ourselves and our loved one in positive ways. Show them how it's done! Encourage them to join in! Create a safe space for them to share their thoughts and feelings without judgement and reassure them as much as you can.

Ok, here goes! I am going to start us off with a couple of suggestions. Please add to the list! I am excited to see what we come up with together!

1.) Turn up the radio! Play fun uplifting music. Sing along. Get up and dance! This could be PE for the kids!!

2.) If you are feeling stressed and anxious, practice mindful breathing. Stop what you are doing and close your eyes. Take a deep breath in, hold it, slowly exhale and pause. You can do this counting to certain numbers for each step, or just what feels good to you. The idea is to slow your breathing and pay attention to your body as you inhale and exhale. As you inhale think about breathing good things in, and as you exhale think about letting the bad things out.

3.) Read a book aloud with each other. Maybe it is something "school appropriate", or maybe it is a favorite childhood book. It doesn't matter! Decide together if one person will read or if you will take turns reading.

Blessings,
Kara

Survival Mode

Our need for self-care isn't always intuitive. We often don't think about our need when we are in the midst of a difficult situation. It requires reflection and intentionality. Oftentimes we are in survival mode and find it hard to think about anything other than the crisis in that moment.

When we are in survival mode we tend to fall back on our old habits. It is so much easier to coast and rely on past learned behavior because doing anything else requires energy and intention. When we are in crisis mode we tend to go into auto-pilot because we are physically and emotionally depleted.

That is precisely when we need to take a step back, take a breath, and remember that YOU matter too. 

Practicing self-care needs to become a regular activity. We need to practice it every day so that when we are in crisis, we don't have to think about it. We just do it. And when we take care of ourselves in the midst of a crisis, we will find that we have more resources to deal with the situation. We have clearer thoughts, more creative ideas, more stamina and endurance.

Taking care of ourselves actually benefits everyone around us! Seriously! It is not selfish! It honors our relationships with our family, with our children. It says they are important; that we care enough about them to fill ourselves up so we can be there for them.

Practice taking care of yourself everyday so that when you go to auto-pilot, that is what kicks in.

Blessings,
Kara