Self Care

The following article was written by Sarala. It is such an important message and I hope you will benefit from it!

The Importance of Self-Care

Have you ever taken the time to observe Hashem’s creations and marvel at its awesome beauty? Have you recently decided to take a stroll down your block to get some fresh air? Or, have you taken the liberty to sit down, unwind and read? If you answered no, you’re in good company! Baruch Hashem, we’re all busy people. We may be running to and from work, running errands, taking care of something in the house and the like. We rarely take the time to sit down for a few moments and just be. This is where self-care comes in.

Imagine the following scenario:

Rivkah wakes up on a nice, sunny Monday morning. She gets dressed and quickly throws some food into her bag for the workday. She walks fairly fast to the bus not paying much attention to pedestrians, cars or trees as she passes them. She arrives at work a bit harried and starts her work day. The time comes and she’s done for the day. She packs up and leaves. When Rivkah gets home, she eats supper, takes care of a few things and heads to bed with one eye half closed.

This is a bit of an extreme scenario, but nevertheless has a familiar rhythm to it. From the above example it seems like Rivkah had a successful and productive day – which she did. Yet, upon closer observation, you will see that Rivkah neglected one very important part. That is herself. Yes, Rivkah does need to get to work on time and take care of her personal duties. But, somehow, her more personal responsibilities got pushed to the back burner albeit subconsciously.

As it becomes more obvious, we clearly see that an important responsibility is lacking in the above example. Taking responsibility for ourselves and our needs is referred to as Self-Care. It’s ironic that we make great effort to take care of our priorities but neglect ourselves. This is why it’s extremely important that we all take a step back from our hustle and bustle and observe ourselves. Taking a step back for a few moments and tuning into ourselves and our needs will enhance our well-being in so many ways.

I will illustrate the above with a personal example:

I was busy yesterday making supper, going to a neighbor’s Tzedaka party and taking care of various other things. Towards the end of the day, I began to feel a bit on the edgy side. I realized that as busy as I was, I needed to stop for a few moments and just be with myself and see how I can relax. Sometimes, I’ll sit on the couch, observe my thoughts, think about my day so far and how I’m presently feeling. Other times, I’ll read, listen to music and the like. In other words, I’m putting my foot on the “slow down” pedal and using taking a temporary “vacation.” Other forms of self-care include eating properly, going to sleep on time (!), reading, and taking pleasure in doing something you enjoy. It can be purchasing something new for yourself, getting your nails done, meeting up with a friend or carving out some time to be alone.

I’m not suggesting that we spend our time with our feet up on the couch. If only we had more time to do that! However, it’s essential that we carve out some down time that’s devoted to us and us only. Having a few moments to ourselves has the power to give us a boost and a little pick-me-up, thus expanding our energy for various other tasks and our family and friends.

Just remember: "Taking good care of YOU means people in your life will receive the best of you, rather than what's left of you."

Take care!