A Gentle Reminder to Care for Yourself

“You can’t pour from an empty cup.”, an expression we seem to be forgetting more often.

When was the last time you disconnected from social media, from people, from work, from reading the news, and just took some time for yourself? Perhaps reading that book you were always planning to, or simply going out for a walk?

 We are constantly living in a rushed time, where we barely have time for anything, especially not for ourselves. Work, overtime, bills, house chores, work again.

But should we wait until we reach a turning point, burnout, illness, or emotional exhaustion before giving ourselves permission to slow down and breathe?

We owe it to ourselves to press the break once in a while and be with ourselves.

Let’s be honest, how often do we push self-care to the bottom of our priority list?  We treat it like a bonus, something we ‘get to’ only after everything else is done, or when we’ve already burned out.

We should see it as the foundation for how we should live and handle our day-to-day lives.

So instead of waiting for life to force us to rest, what if we intentionally built rest and care into our daily rhythm? Lately, I have been trying to remind myself of that and use some coping mechanisms:

*Create Daily Mini-Disconnects

Give your brain a break. Try to avoid using your phone for at least one hour before going to sleep and after waking up. 

Turn off any irrelevant news notifications during certain hours of the day to keep you focused.

*Do Mental Tidy-up

Our minds are constantly cluttered with intrusive thoughts, to-do lists, and self-judgment. Try to focus on one thing at a time and ask yourself if all the other thoughts that keep popping up are helpful.

If it helps, write down the things that keep coming to mind, and then you can easily filter them out based on relevance and priority.

*Mental rest (Presence)

Go out for a walk and enjoy the moment you’re in, without headphones, phone, or other distractions. Listen to the birds, the wind, the silence, or even the rain. Let yourself just be.

For me, listening to blackbirds singing in the forest near my home is like a musical mindfulness practice.

*Move your body with kindness

Go outside and walk in a less crowded area for at least 15 minutes before going to work. If you have sunlight, there are bonus points; it also helps with vitamin D absorption.

Try Pilates, Yoga, Dance classes, Reiki. Luxembourg offers numerous options, even during the summer.

*Talk it out

If you’re going through a tough time, consider talking to a close friend or family member about it. Consider going out, taking a walk, or grabbing a cup of coffee. You don’t need to care for it all alone. You and your mental health are your top priority.  Your feelings are valid, and being heard is part of the healing process.

*Boundaries, Communication, and Self-Love

Set healthy boundaries when your plate is full.

Communicate your needs instead of expecting others to guess them.

Speak to yourself kindly, especially on the tough days.

“There is a crack in everything, that’s how the light gets in.”

 — Leonard Cohen

You don’t need to be perfect; you just need to listen to your body, mind, and breath, and let the light in.