Putting "You" On The Top of Your "To-Do" List by Karneisha Christian-Stewart
Our calendars are color-coded grids of dates, times, deadlines, and zoom links. Noticeably missing is the scheduled time for you. Yes, you! Ask yourself: Why am I not on my calendar? When we do manage to calendar ourselves for "me time", it's an afterthought.
The most crucial threat to our mental health is STRESS! Agreed! To say that 2020 was quite a year is an understatement. Personally, I'm just now realizing how much I endured.
My plans of a destination elopement were foiled, and my husband and I hosted a beautiful "drive-by" wedding instead.
The business was, fortunately, booming at Pucker Up Lemonade Company and we successfully pivoted. My 14-year-old daughter started high school as a full-time Zoom freshman.
My son, a college athlete, had his football season canceled and on-campus learning suspended. On December 31st, I received the fateful call that my mom tested positive for COVID. The next day she was admitted to the hospital. After a courageous fight, she passed the day before Easter.
It's been a year and a half ride on an emotional rollercoaster! My faith, my husband, sister-friends, and team helped me push through. Noticeably missing for me was a "Self-Care" regimen. What is "Self-Care"? Where do we start? How does it make it to our calendar?
Self-care means tending to your physical and emotional health needs as best as possible in order to promote wellness and prevent illness. We can accomplish this by creating habits that promote our best self, such as:
1. Scheduling time off.
2. Creating and maintaining healthy boundaries.
3. Prioritizing rest, relaxation, and sleep.
4. Incorporating regular exercise/activities.
5. Nourishing our minds and bodies with a proper diet.
6. Drinking water.
7. Turning off notifications or turning off our cell phones.
8. Taking time to meditate, reflect, pray.
9. Allowing time for pampering and spa treatments.
10. Enjoying the arts, music, crafting, and hobbies.
11. Asking for help: Letting others know what you're dealing with and accepting assistance.
12. Saying "No". It's a complete sentence.
If I'm honest, I’m currently incorporating between 4-6 practices. Yes indeed, I need to care for myself more. Keeping my own self consistent and top of mind is a challenge. I'm adding these things to my calendar daily and setting alerts. I'm putting myself first on my "To-Do" List! Doing so results in more mental clarity, as well as creativity. We're also able to pour more into our passions and the relationships that matter to us most. Remember, you can't pour from an empty cup!
Dedicated to my mother Blanchie Mae Christian
6/7/50 - 4/3/2021
I wanna take the time and say thank you for posting this. I recently started my own business and I can't even put in words how overwhelmed I am. As a mom of two kids, now a new business, no financial help, and now no running vehicles I'm beat. I find myself trying to jump through hoops and charging way to little for my services because I only have two clients at the moment and if I loose them then we go under. What is exercise? What is time off? haha I'm sure Ill get there, try to start working on that. Thanks for the words of encouragement.
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