Self Care

The dreaded topic of self care, maybe the hardest thing to find time to do. I am unsure if a characteristic such as being a minimizer is typical of a caretaker. For me, it is very much the case. By minimizer, I mean that I constantly downplay my role and the impact my help has for John and my family, and the impact all the extra things I do have on me.

With this post, I want to start diving into my emotions more on this blog and the things I do to help myself stay sane and healthy. One person in our family with major health problems is enough! Self care is imperative for a caretaker. It’s also one of the hardest things to do.

Things I do when I need time for myself:

Journal – this helps me to organize my thoughts, vent, and often helps me make a decision
Read – I am an avid reader. I read fiction and nonfiction. I love finding a book (paper book, ebook, or audiobook) that I can sink into and go somewhere else for a little while.
Workout – I try to workout for 30-60 minutes at least 4 times a week. It’s not something I really enjoy but it helps keep me active and healthy.
Get a treat – okay, the juxtaposition of healthy. There are times a candy bar or an ice cream fills the gap.
Go for a short walk – usually this happens on a break at work and I don’t do this enough but I always find it useful and refreshing.
Tell myself to take it easy, to slow down, to not overdo it. This is so hard to do. Sometimes I work myself into a frenzy and then can’t concentrate on anything and start acting an awful lot like a chicken with my head cut off. When I catch myself doing this I stop, take a deep breath, and focus.

I also cannot say enough how valuable a therapist is. I find that someone who is a social worker or therapist instead of a psychiatrist is most useful for me. I currently don’t have a therapist but I’ve been thinking recently that I need one again. I have gone to a therapist three times before. I find the process of sitting before a therapist and venting all my worries, frustrations and fears to this person for an hour has the same effect that getting a massage has. I feel incredibly relaxed afterwards. The relief of the carried stress is tremendous.

I like to go to a therapist instead of venting to a friend because a therapist is an impartial person. They will not side with me just because they are my friend. There are also times when I have an awful lot to get off my chest and I don’t like burdening a friend with all that.