Self care is not selfish
It’s time to unfurl ourselves, to relax and begin to address the stress of what we’ve all gone through.
Every household across the country — and each person in the house — has undergone some form of stress as a result of this pandemic, and we’ve all hauled that tension around for months.
“Coronavirus” and “COVID-19” feel like bad words.
We cringe and tighten up and worry, knowing those words equate to a disruption in our routines.
Oh yes, our lives have changed, and in the thick of it, it was easy to forget that we needed to take care of ourselves.
Strike that.
A lot of us forgot to prioritize self-care.
And that’s not surprising.
There were many, many big things to worry about: from whether we’d have a job, to the elderly or immunocompromised around us; and from making sure children got their school work done to coping with the changing scope of the virus and advice about what we needed to do to avoid getting sick.
We washed hands vigilantly (which is never a bad habit), stocked up during carefully scheduled grocery trips or pickups, wore masks (which, yes, you are still required to enter a business), and remained socially distant.
Celebrations for birthdays, anniversaries and weddings were canceled or scaled back; funeral visitations were limited or precluded and if there were services, they were small.
All of those things, and so many more, caused an incredible amount of stress.
Some of us balled it up and shoved it down: put our heads down, soldiered forward and did what we needed to do. Others let it out, maybe in the form of tears or anger.
But anyone who says they sailed through the past few months completely unaffected isn’t being honest – most of all with himself or herself.
So, as we continue to emerge from these last few months of constant pressure, consider this a reminder to put a laser focus on your own self-care and mental health.
Those things are more important now than ever, because our public health experts have warned that this virus is not going to magically disappear and there will very likely be a resurgence in the fall. (While Pennsylvania is not, about half the states in the U.S. are seeing a surge in cases right now.)
Continuing to carry around high levels of stress without finding a healthy, effective coping mechanism is not sustainable, and frankly, it’s just not a satisfying way to live.
As virus cases slow down and some stressors naturally recede, many people may accept the more relaxed time without acknowledging the tension of the past few months.
Please don’t.
If you’ve neglected yourself, now is the perfect time to look inward so you can ensure you have what you need to thrive.
Have a candid conversation with your family or friends about how you’re feeling or talk to a professional if you’d prefer not confide in those around you.
Look for those things that let you blow off steam and indulge in them.
Recognize you are not being selfish by doing so.
Should the oxygen masks descend on an airplane, flight attendants always instruct that we must first put ours on before helping others.
This is no different.
蘑菇视频