The last several years have been very challenging for me with the loss of my father while in a long-term care facility due to COVID-19 during the early days of the pandemic in the US, the loss of two very beloved dogs, the unexpected end of a long marriage, the loss of a long-term job at an organization with an amazing mission, and significant healthcare diagnoses for myself and my mother.
These years have been full of stops and starts of attempts to practice better self-care, some more successful than others, but my priority has been to jump back into self-care when I fall off the wagon, rather than getting stuck.
These days I’m making the intentional effort to walk regularly (even if it’s not far), get fresh air and sun (when it’s available in the metro-Seattle-area), read for pleasure in addition to reading for development, see friends, laugh often, meditate for mindfulness, continuing to receive regular physical and mental health care, and getting more and higher quality sleep. I also adopted a new dog, who helps immensely with walking regularly and laughing often!
This process hasn’t been easy and it often hasn’t been fun but I’m feeling better about myself and prospects for a happy future even though many challenges are still ahead. I heard somewhere once that self-care isn’t an activity, it’s a lifestyle. I can’t say it’s a lifestyle for me at the moment but progress is good enough!
#selfcare #wellness #mentalhealth #mentalhealthawarenessmonth #selfcarematters #wellnessjourney
Artwork by Alysha Rosly
