Our Self-Care Spreads Love
Mar 30, 2023I believe there is a wellspring of love available for us all. Love is not finite, though somehow it can feel scarce when it comes to loving ourselves. How much does the critic in our head speak up louder and faster than the voice of self-acceptance and self-love?
- I can't keep up with everything going on around me.
- I can’t afford this, or I don't deserve this.
- I never know what to say.
- Oh my God, why do I bother?
versus …
- I am giving myself some extra time today to do this task.
- I am not going to do everything on my list, and I am ok with that.
- I am buying some flowers for myself.
- I am going to pick up the phone and call my friend across the country.
When we know how to love ourselves with self-care, self-respect, kindness, and consideration, we bring that into our relationships with others.
Our inner critic is quick to jump in and say that self-love is arrogant or selfish. I have a good rule of distinction for myself between being selfish and self-love. Being selfish is tending to yourself at the expense of others. Self-love is tending to yourself through mindful self-care that will ripple out to others in a positive way. Your nourished heart, mind, and body will be reflected in your words and in your actions.
When we don’t get enough sleep, or we don't eat right, or take care of our need for restoration and recreation, we become cranky. That word brings back a memory from my college years of babysitting. I must have shared with the kids that they are less irritable when they have had their naps. One day the four-year-old, Danielle, grabs my hand and walks me to her bedroom. On the way to her room, much to my surprise, she says, “You need a nap. You can use my bed. You are really cranky!” She got my attention. I was being impatient and short. I hadn’t slept enough the night before. And she called me on it.
Do something joyful for your soul this week. You know what makes you smile, such as:
- a glass of wine with that book you haven’t gotten to yet
- the same movie that you love no matter how many times you have seen it
- a long walk
- a pedicure after your long walk, or
- a cup of tea in your favorite cup,
Add some variety:
- enjoy essential oils or notice aromatic scents
- change the lighting in your home or work environment
- turn on the music that gets you up and moving or gets you relaxed and soothed
Do the self-care.
Spread the love.
Watch the ripple effects.
Revised from a blog post from 2/12/2021 (Blog Link)
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