Learnings about self-care through uncertainty

Throughout April we explored self-care through uncertainty. Here are my three main takeaways from April’s exploration: 
 

1. Self-care is about giving myself permission to feel fully. 

It makes sense I will feel all sorts of ways through uncertainty. It makes sense to have ups and downs. I can invite curiosity, acceptance and compassion towards my shifting inner experiences. 

2. Self-care is about giving myself permission to express myself. 

Finding ways to creatively express what's going on in my inner world is essential. For me, these days this looks like journaling, dancing, and cooking. Creative expression invites emotions to stay in motion, to move through me, and helps me become more aware of what I’m feeling and what nourishes me.

3. Self-care is about giving myself permission to take good care, as best I can. 

Beyond ideas of "being productive", may we honor all the ways we are taking really good care of ourselves. Here is a list I wrote to remind myself of all the ways I can take good care of myself. 


And -- 

My heart is full of gratitude for how much I’m learning from the collective each Monday evening at Creative Pause. 

Here are some of the learnings from the recorded conversations I had with our weekly guests at Creative Pause, where we talked about self-care during quarantine: 

• Hear Patsey Kenney share with us about the importance of inviting more celebration as self-care, celebration as a renewable inner resource that can help guide us as we move through this challenging time. She emphasizes giving ourselves permission to feel BOTH the good (celebrate) AND feel the challenge of it all. 

• Hear Josefina Sanders share with us how her creative practice during these days of quarantine have shifted away from final products (she is a talented calligrapher) and more towards helping tend to herself: with journaling self check-ins, nourishing herself with cooking and tending more to her house plants. 

• Hear Paige Smith share with us how she is staying connected with nature through mindful walks, noticing more of the nature around us, working with found floral greenery, connecting with neighbors through conversations about their plants, and more. 

• Hear Yosma Luby share with us a reminder about the importance of gentle encouragement in our environment and using fun pieces of paper for motivating reminders and compassionate phrases to encourage ourselves daily. 

I’m curious, what are you learning about self-care through uncertainty right now?

Here's an invitation to use the Monthly Reflection Worksheet to help you become more aware of what you learned last month and what intention you would like to set for next month. Simple practices like this reflective one can make a huge impact in helping us see what is working for us and what is possible for us. 

Here’s to learning and growing together!