Ok, so I know this is going to sound like I made it up, but did you know that September is “Self-Care Awareness Month”? Even though there’s a month for everything now, I definitely couldn’t pass this one by!
The National Day Calendar website says it was founded in 2017 by an organization called Evolve to Live, a nonprofit retreat center near Tucson, AZ. In their description of the month they explain: “Self-care is often neglected in our everyday lives. We all tend to put other’s needs before our own and it is crucial to remember, that we cannot fill another cup from our own empty vessel.”
The transition to fall is definitely a time where doing for others, and just doing too much, can quickly accelerate. The switch from the slower, longer days of summer to cooler days and more rigid schedules can be a lot to manage and a real disruption to our nervous systems.
What do you do for self-care when you find you’re moving at a pace where your mind and body are on autopilot, when you feel disconnected or when you feel a sense of overwhelm creeping in?
For me, I have a few go tos that I try to remember when I’m in the midst of it:
- Meditation and deep breaths. I’ve shared here before that I find the phone app “Insight Timer” to be an invaluable meditation tool. I urge you to try it if you haven’t.
- Get out for a walk somewhere where I can look at trees and nature. The combination of movement and nature brings me back to the deeper breathing and body connection that help ground me into the present moment.
- Make a cup of tea, sit in a comfy chair where I can look out at the trees, and drink it slowly, savoring the taste, smell and warmth.
These are all small things we can do every day to reconnect with the calm we all have access to inside ourselves. To drop out of our ‘monkey mind’ that never lets us rest, and just feel into being. To me, that is self-care. And if there’s a month dedicated to reminding us about it, I am all for it!
If you have some tips to share on how you “do” self-care, share them on this newsletter’s Facebook post. Your idea could be just the thing someone else in our community is looking for.
It does help to have a community where self-care is the founding principle – to help remind you, guide you and support you on this journey. At The Gentle Place, we are honored to be a partner on that path. Whether it’s a yoga class, a mala making workshop, sound healing, massage therapy or any of our other offerings, our intention is to help you bring self-care into your life.
So here’s to Self-Care Awareness Month… and season… and year!
Take care. 🌿
Donna