October Wrote Me a Letter...
This month make self care the priority.
October Wellness Newsletter is loaded with self care tips including a few of my favorites from other Writers recently on Substack. Check out their links inserted below.
Interesting concept about self care is the escape into the moment. Is being in present moment an escape? Or do we have it backwards, is consuming media an escape? Doing an activity as simple as making tea can be living in the present moment. Full concentration on a self care activity at hand brings in the benefits that fill up the soul. Each day comes with its own surprises, conflicts, irritations but it also comes with joy, gratitude, simple pleasures and loved ones. The difference is focus. When in the moment of self care, the focus is on yourself or the task at hand which can bring in complete enjoyment of the moment.
This feeling of escaping into the moment is one of the many reasons I love yoga. Going to a class, I can get lost in finding alignment in the pose and then once in the pose finding the deep breaths. The effort and ease of yoga is somatic to me. Somatic means dropping into the body and out of the thinking mind. In a pose, I can feel this and become fully aware of sensations in my body. Staying in this state long enough to reap the benefits has healing qualities to emotional health which includes stress.
A simple way to check in with yourself. Place hands on your body.
A couple examples, 1) one hand at the back of your head at the hairline and other hand on your forehead. 2) Hand on heart and the other on the belly.
Notice is you are holding a lot.
Notice if you feel held.
Can you parent yourself today?
When filled up with self care, the more self awareness we have and better ability to bring ourself back into balance.
In a yoga class, we can lose sight of the day’s issues as we focus on body awareness and the breath. Being truly present on the yoga mat practicing the poses, we can become acutely aware of our body and our place in space. Then use the breath to find a calming effect. Being truly present in our practice is self care and this can have lasting effects all through the day. It’s certainly worth a try.
If we take care of our body and mind, then we can keep doing our favorite sports no matter our age. It takes discipline to work self care into the daily routines, but it is so much better than nursing injuries. If we make self care a priority, then we show up as our best self.
After spending the last six months in a life coaching course, I am ready for a reset. The course was overwhelming at first and very intense work throughout. In the end it was worth the time spent. it lead me to finding my creative energy, identifying my emotional blocks and putting a lid on the inner critic. Self care took the seat of priority and my actions are getting more in line with my goals. It may come across as selfish but it is actually the best way to serve, support, love and give to others. If I am at my best and filled up on many the things that make me feel good then I have more to give to others and a side note, a whole lot less grumpy.
Self care related to running is taking time before the run to do dynamic stretching and mobility. It only takes five minutes of my precious time. But sometimes I will skip it thinking, I’m good to go. Taking the extra five minutes gives me a good start to a run and eliminates the stiff hips or ankles niggles. The other self cares activities before running is being hydrated, eating based on my activity level, taking breaks from prolonged sitting, and stretching after workouts. When all these activities are in place, then I run with more freedom, less discomfort and my pace is easy breezy. It feels so good and yet I self sabotage to take the short cut sometimes.
Self care related to writing is similar to running which means if my tank is filled then writing is effortless. A day when I am well rested and get in exercise or movement, then I am at a more centered place for creativity to flow. I have learned that it is not about coming up with an idea then going to the page. It is going to the page and starting with anything. The ability to drop into writing comes from a place of feeling safe and grounded.
Challenge for October:
Each day this month find a way to make space for you and self care. What if you start every day with 10 minutes walking, practicing yoga or sitting in meditation or prayer. Choose an activity that is achievable, makes you feel good and brings joy to your day. A gift to yourself first. Then take that ‘filled up’, ‘lite up’ energy to face the world from a better, controlled, or content state rather than reactive.
A few posts from writers who have offered great tips recently for self care, yoga and motivation.
October is a high mileage month for me. This brings in the need for making recovery activities a priority. Recovery for me is good sleep, yoga, foam rolling and mobility exercises. I feel the onset of tight hips and need to up my game in recovery. Self care this week will include pigeon poses to my daily practice.
Check out the poem by on Pigeon Pose. I love to read Corie’s poems before practicing the pose and let the sensations of the pose and her words integrate. See the post here.
Walking is great for self care and it feels good to get some movement with a simple walk outdoors. Read the post by
on “Walk More. Die Less” for movement motivation and humor. See the post here.A little less doing in the evenings and more being. Another gem that I came across recently is newsletter on Fall that includes a lovely Yoga Nidra practice. Check out the post here. This one is the perfect length for me as I wind down at night. Taking a few minutes before sleep to meditate, write asking for guidance or listening to a Yoga Nidra practice has done wonders for my sleep. I wake up recalling vivid dreams and feeling well rested. I find this very helpful as stressful events come and go in life.
Disclaimer: Please consult with your medical professional before starting any workout program. Yoga is not a substitute for medical attention or treatment.
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Beautiful guidance to bring people back to themselves!
I didn’t know what somatic meant, so thank you for that!
I enjoyed the voice note and the ideas you gave. It really did feel like I was holding space for myself and my body. Really nourishing. Thank you!