What is emotional self-care?
To follow up on last week’s Post-It post…
Emotional self-care is taking care of and having compassion for yourself. When you are having a difficult time, or if you’ve had a recent allergic reaction or a bad dining experience, or if you’ve had some other emotionally and physically challenging experience, it can be helpful to figure out the best way to take care of yourself. Some people take a moment to be in nature or work in a garden. Some people need alone time, others need to talk it through with a friend. Some people might take a warm bubble bath, others will go for a run. Thinking about past experiences, and how you have gotten through difficult times before, may give you ideas of how to best tap into your strength.
Tips for self-care:
-Accept help when you need
-Focus on what you are able to do or eat, rather than what you cannot do
-Set personal health goals
-Consider the ways you re-charge emotionally – and do them!
-Get connected! with each other, and with outside resources, if you need them.
Personal questions:
-What has helped you to deal with difficult situations in the past?
-Where are your “safe” places? What are your “safe” foods? Who are your “safe” people to be around when you’ve had an allergic reaction or a bad dining experience?
-How do you treat yourself with compassion when you are feeling drained or overwhelmed?
-How do you re-charge? Do you need personal time, or social time? What activities help you to process through emotions after a tough day?
Starting From Scratch 