Nurturing You: Recharging Your Batteries

I believe whoever said we can’t take care of others if we don’t take care of ourselves.

For example, my grandmother, while in her 80s, aged 10 years while taking care of my grandfather. Her face showed it. Her body broke down. I think she became 2 inches shorter. While it was so sweet and her love for him kept her going, it was way over time to get help and take a break. After he passed, her tiny frame became visually stronger. Her worn face disappeared and she became a vibrant little lady again.

I know that was her season of caregiving, but it was not fun to watch.

We all have different seasons. Some are more taxing than others like taking care of elderly parents, dealing with a struggling teen or even having a difficult marriage. And while most of us would not head for the hills and abandon our lives during stress, we can do things to help recharge our batteries.

1. Take Breaks! Completely take a break from your mundane, stressful, zapping responsibilities. Ask your husband to give you an hour or even a weekend in a hotel alone. Get a babysitter for an evening alone with your friends, family or spouse.

2. Filter Your Environment! If the news stresses you, turn it off. Replace what you can control that you allow to affect you. News? Music? Negative friends or family? Here is a secret: The world will run just fine without you knowing all the messy details.

3. Don’t fall in the Trigger Trap! Does the news trigger your outrage? Does a friends post of political issues make you see red? Do uneducated responses on social media or from family and friends send you into a nasty mood? Learn not to be triggered. Either turn it off if you have no control over it or educate by explaining a different perspective. Realize you can’t change anyone’s mind except your own and except some things need to be left alone entirely.

4. Find your Tribe! Your tribe are people who have similar circumstances that understand. That could be your family or a friend or even a Facebook group. I am in a couple of adoption Facebook groups because my family just doesn’t understand. Nothing against them, they just don’t. But be careful. Those groups can turn nasty. (See #2)

If you wouldn’t say it to their face, don’t post it or gossip to a friend about it.

To join her FB group Steeped In Purpose (SIP) https://www.facebook.com/groups/1182504291810649/?ref=share