Listening to podcasts counts as self care, ya'all. The above embedded episode is from Life Beyond The Massage Table.
Those of us in the massage industry are always talking about self care, especially to our clients as to illustrate that massage isn't a luxury but part of self care, right?! If you do a quick google search, you'll see tons of results of stretches and self massage to help keep massage therapists from burning out.
I feel like there's lots of talk about this type of self care, but what else does self care mean? I recently had an interesting conversation about this with a friend of mine who is a social worker. She had recently attended a training on secondary trauma (also known as compassion fatigue). The presenter talked about self care that extends beyond exercising and eating right. She pointed out that things like paying your bills on time is a part of self care. You're providing yourself with your housing and lifestyle, avoiding late fees. Being organized with your bills, finances, and your business, is self care.
Just think of how much less stressful tax time is when you've been tracking your income and expenses as you go throughout the year. This is self care.
Rethinking and rephrasing "adulting" activities as self care feels less heavy. While sitting down and paying bills in a timely, organized way isn't as enjoyable as say... receiving a massage... it does make my life easier. Plus, I'm still going to be sure to be receiving regularly scheduled bodywork. 😉
A goal I've been working on lately is to make it to yoga class more often. Yes, my body needs it. Yes, my mind needs it. But also? I just really enjoy it and feel so much better when I go. My local YMCA recently remodeled the yoga studio and added a ton of classes, so it's easier now than it has ever been for me to have more yoga in my life.
Probably no coincidence that I'm writing this while home sick. Cancelled clients this week to focus on my self care thanks to the common cold!
What ways are you practicing self care?
