Stuff I’m learning: Self care isn’t all bubble baths and spa days.
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It’s stewardship of the soul.
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I’ve had a tendency to dismiss people’s wise words about self-care, mostly thinking I was fine without the pampering. But I’ve been rethinking that lately. Our souls a bit like ecosystems... what they emit to the world is a function of how we take care of them. ⠀⠀
Thinking in categories is weirdly helpful sometimes, and I love this breakdown of different soil needs I heard on a podcast by Emily Gordon:
The need for comfort/stress-relief: 🍲Most of the stereotypical images of self-care go here. I’m not a creature of habit, but I do have a few go-to things I turn to that I can count on for a mood boost: playing with Beignet, playing with Rhys, a bowl of pho, episodes of Kim’s Convenience or Psych, and obnoxiously loud music.
The need to feel awe: 🏔 For me, this is a HUGE need, and it drives my love of travel and adventure. Of course, those are off the table right now. However, a well-told story can also invoke that same sense of wonder, and so diving deep into a good novel or meaningful film has been a good source of wonder. And thankfully, seeing my son hit so many milestones is a great source of wonder, too.
The need to not think: 🏀 I spend so much time engaging my mind that I forget that this is a need too. Meditation can take care of this. So can a good run. Or a dance party. This is also off the table right now, but I used to love batting cages as a way to just shift my energy from mind to body. Honestly, this has taken the form of video games for me lately, and I never thought I’d see that happen.
The need to be heard: 💻 It’s a real need too. Perhaps this is why I write as much as I do. And why I actually really enjoy traditional talk therapy. Or keeping my wife up late with dumb questions.
How do you practice soul care?
Self Care Now
