Self Care Guide

Hi guys!! 

It’s Wednesday and I think you’re all due a new blog post from me 😊 since last Wednesday evening, I have felt pretty rubbish both physically and emotionally. It’s only as yesterday evolved that I began to feel a bit more myself. I’m sure many other people with E.D.S or similar chronic disabilities will have questioned ‘why me, I hate this’ personally I haven’t but it doesn’t mean I have spent many a time, sitting on my bed in tears at feeling fed up/frustrated or in a lot of pain because I have. Living with severe anxiety and panic disorder really makes it more challenging as well. I think I was born the way I am because I know I can be strong when I need to be and I have an outlook that people seem to like about me. 

So, what’s the reason why I’m telling you all the above is because I found the following picture as it seems like something that could be beneficial to both me and you. So let’s look at it and I’ll discuss it further with you below. 

Starting with social self care - I think it’s very important to try and keep contact with those around you. Even if it’s just a Whatsapp message with a friend, it makes you feel good when you see their name popping up on your phone and vice versa. Everyone needs a little fun and social interaction from time to time. 

Emotional self care - how can we love others when we can’t love ourself? I don’t mean ‘oh yeah I love me, I’m absolutely amazing!!’ But it’s when you start learning to accept and embrace who you are. Our mental health is serious and we should focus on this more than we do. Spending time with your pet is so lovely and it gives you that bonding time together, it makes them happy and excited. Expressing yourself through art whether it’s creative writing, drawing, crafting helps you to relax and it’s a way for you to let those creative juices flowing. 

Physical self care - I think music is wonderful on so many levels; it can inspire you, motivate you, express how you’re feeling by it’s lyrics or melodies and it can excite you. It’s so hard to get a good decent night’s sleep with the pace and stresses of today’s lifestyle, so taking a nap does you good! It gives your body a chance to recharge itself and helps you not to feel so run down. I would say listen to your body as it can tell you a lot about what’s going on. 

Practical self care - planning ahead if you can will not only save you time but also less worrying. Making batch meals are good for those days where you don’t feel so well or are too busy to cook. Create a system where it makes it easier for you to do things, for example; get items to aid your mobility around the home. Don’t be afraid to ask for help with tasks as well and make others aware of your preference with things. Always pace yourself no matter what. If something isn’t done today, then there is always tomorrow to do it. Your health is more important. 

Spiritual self care - if you can, try to take some time out of your day for you. Try and find something that relaxes you for example meditating or listening to classical music; something where you don’t have think. I find Pinterest inspiring and motivating with all different kind of quotes and poetry on there. If you want something motivating then I’d suggest a book by Jordan Bone and her book is called ‘My Beautiful Struggle’. I haven’t finished reading it but I’m loving it so far, she show that no matter how limited your mobility is, there are always ways around things. Something I have always tried to believe in. I know that not everyone can get out in the community so maybe just sitting outside in your garden and look up at the sky. (Don’t look at the sun! I don’t recommend that ha!) Take in the sounds that you can hear and lose yourself in those sounds. 

Mental self care - everyone needs to stimulate their minds from time to time and it passes time too. There are plenty of games like on Facebook, or the Sims 4 or even Solitaire. If you prefer to go on betting sites and play their games then that’s fine too, just play responsibly as you don’t want to get yourself in financial difficulty. Is there something you want to know more about? Google or visit different websites to find out about things whether it’s history or a place that looks interesting to you. There are plenty of online courses that you could enrol on. Don’t forget to mark off things that you have done on your to do list as this will relieve any added stress. 

Now I have discussed the above from a person with a chronic disability but you can alter things to suit you better. For me, it would be great to achieve the above points each month so there’s no pressure and it keeps things fresh. It is good to have something to work on and to motivate you. We all get lost from time to time, I know I do and this self care plan will help keep me on track. I will adapt this guide to a way that will work best for me and to make it as fun as possible. 

Anyway I think that this is a long enough post from me and I hope you have enjoyed reading it. I hope to see you all in my next one. Don’t forget to subscribe so you don’t miss out on any future posts!! See you soon 😘❤️xxx