take care of yourself
We all have times when we go through dry seasons, dark nights, times of grief and mourning, and desperation. This post is purely practical advice about taking care of yourself during such a time. These are things that I have read, observed or discovered for myself while going through such seasons.
Don't neglect yourself. We humans are intricate creations. We are body, mind, soul, spirit, heart. We need to take care of ourselves holistically because everything is tied together. We cannot separate the different parts of ourselves, and we cannot think that the rest of our person will not suffer if one part of us is suffering. If we are suffering emotionally it will show itself in other ways, and the same for everything else.
Motivation. I find that it is very easy for me to get overwhelmed and just neglect everything when I am going through a difficult time. Something that I have found helpful is from the book Learning to Walk Alone by Ingrid Trobish. She says have a goal of accomplishing three things each day, even if those three things are getting out of bed, getting dressed and brushing your teeth. As I have been going through my most recent difficult season, I have benefited greatly from having work to go to. Then I know if I accomplish nothing else, I at least went to work and got out of my house.
Exercise. This is a big one. Even if it is only 20 minutes of walking outside, do it. This will have many excellent results because exercise produces mental and emotional benefits and getting outside gives you the added plus of sunshine and vitamin D which also improves your mood and general overall health.
Eat well. This doesn't mean eat your emotions. This means eat good food that is good for you and eat regularly. Our tendency is to either forget to eat or to eat for comfort, both of which are not healthy. Eat nutritious foods to help keep energy up and to help your body. I'm not saying that you can't have ice cream or a cinnamon roll or some chocolate, but don't turn to food for comfort.
Life-Giving People. Find someone who will speak life over you in this season. Whether that is a mentor, a good friend, or a family member, find a person (or a few people) who you feel safe with and who will speak life over you. I find it especially helpful when these people are more than a few years older than me. My parents have been very life-giving to me in the season I have been in. I know that not everyone has a great relationship with their parents, but finding someone who has lived a lot more life gives perspective and wisdom to any situation.
Enjoyable activities. Do things that you enjoy doing. For me, it is very important to do things that get me out of my analytical mind and into my creative mind, so I do things like listen to jazz, paint, write poetry, sew, and take short road trips for a change of scenery. Do things that you find pleasure in and that help you to process.
Obviously, there are probably a lot more things that can be helpful when we encounter difficult seasons, but these are just a few practical things that I have found to be helpful not just in difficult seasons, but for living a well balanced and healthy life.
Don't neglect yourself. We humans are intricate creations. We are body, mind, soul, spirit, heart. We need to take care of ourselves holistically because everything is tied together. We cannot separate the different parts of ourselves, and we cannot think that the rest of our person will not suffer if one part of us is suffering. If we are suffering emotionally it will show itself in other ways, and the same for everything else.
Motivation. I find that it is very easy for me to get overwhelmed and just neglect everything when I am going through a difficult time. Something that I have found helpful is from the book Learning to Walk Alone by Ingrid Trobish. She says have a goal of accomplishing three things each day, even if those three things are getting out of bed, getting dressed and brushing your teeth. As I have been going through my most recent difficult season, I have benefited greatly from having work to go to. Then I know if I accomplish nothing else, I at least went to work and got out of my house.
Exercise. This is a big one. Even if it is only 20 minutes of walking outside, do it. This will have many excellent results because exercise produces mental and emotional benefits and getting outside gives you the added plus of sunshine and vitamin D which also improves your mood and general overall health.
Eat well. This doesn't mean eat your emotions. This means eat good food that is good for you and eat regularly. Our tendency is to either forget to eat or to eat for comfort, both of which are not healthy. Eat nutritious foods to help keep energy up and to help your body. I'm not saying that you can't have ice cream or a cinnamon roll or some chocolate, but don't turn to food for comfort.
Life-Giving People. Find someone who will speak life over you in this season. Whether that is a mentor, a good friend, or a family member, find a person (or a few people) who you feel safe with and who will speak life over you. I find it especially helpful when these people are more than a few years older than me. My parents have been very life-giving to me in the season I have been in. I know that not everyone has a great relationship with their parents, but finding someone who has lived a lot more life gives perspective and wisdom to any situation.
Enjoyable activities. Do things that you enjoy doing. For me, it is very important to do things that get me out of my analytical mind and into my creative mind, so I do things like listen to jazz, paint, write poetry, sew, and take short road trips for a change of scenery. Do things that you find pleasure in and that help you to process.
Obviously, there are probably a lot more things that can be helpful when we encounter difficult seasons, but these are just a few practical things that I have found to be helpful not just in difficult seasons, but for living a well balanced and healthy life.
Comments
Post a Comment