I was today years old when I learned there is an official World Health Organization definition of self-care:
“Self-care is the ability of individuals, families and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a health worker.”
“Self-care recognises individuals as active agents in managing their own health care, in areas including health promotion; disease prevention and control; self-medication; providing care to dependent persons, and rehabilitation, including palliative care.” (WHO website)
The magazines show the self-care on the “unwind” side of things. The hot baths and tea and chocolates. The slippers by the fireside and hygge and ahhh letting go.
But at the core, self-care is the vanguard. It’s supplements and sleep. Eating the dang cobb salad four days this week because your body needs protein over processed carbs. Pulling out the yoga mat to stretch the tense muscles when your brain says to collapse on the couch and scroll videos.
Emotionally, self-care is sending the rest of the household off on a day trip so you can dig in and clear the backlog of paperwork, because it’s been weighing heavy, and a healthy business is key to life goals.
It’s listing the priorities and making sure you get the big rocks in the jar. (Don’t know that analogy? Here's a quick video - 3 minutes, you need to see it.)
Even the fun stuff is effort. Getting up early to join others singing in the grove on a Sunday, because it’s so good and important to raise voices together. Traveling to eat and swim and (again) sing together in the waning days of summer and capping the day with fireside chats (picture above); because while it leaves you tired, it’s that best kind of tired.
Self-care does best with systems. It turns out fall is a common time of year to start new or polish up existing routines. I know this is when I often check myself because as the dark hours take over here in the north, I feel the end of harvest. It’s still hot and bright but we know it’s on the way out, and soon we’ll be living on our stores until spring.
I’m looking now at my big rocks. Do you have some that fell by the wayside? Do you need help making sure there’s room in the jar?
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