Self-Centered is NOT a bad word
Blogger, Mother, Founder of Nutmeg Aspirin, Advocate & "Guinea Pig" for feeling-getting-being-better. Mara is a NY State Safe & Healthy Foods Advisory Council Member, an Advisor to Columbia University’s Spirituality Mind Body Institute, and is currently involved in The Vitality Project at Brown University--a research study looking at the effects of Qi Gong on cancer patients post chemo and radiation as well as supporting efforts to bring mindfulness to doctors in training and the students at large. Mara is a perpetual student of all aspects of holistic living and passionate about helping others to "feel, get and be better."
How It Works
Self-Centered in NOT a bad word, it's actually the best place to live from, the center of ourselves. The most important relationship we have, the one from which every other relationship stems, is the one with our selves. Creating a consistent self-care practice is not selfish, it’s the way to healthy relationship - to ourselves and everyone else. For some of us, making our bed everyday might be an act of self-care, or getting into that bed earlier in the evening or out of it earlier in the day. For some, adding a 15 minute meditation practice or committing to taking a single mindful breath before we reach for the phone. What we do is less important than that we do.
Difficulty
nor hard Somewhat
challenging Very
challenging
Story
For me it was all about production. What did I have to show for my day? My week? My life? Caring for myself was not on the checklist. Caring for myself was a luxury. It was the reward for a day of hard work. Slowly it dawned on me, and still continues to dawn on me, if I am not well and cared for, nothing else is really very well and cared for. Taking the time to center my self isn’t selfish, it’s crucial. Not to say I don’t still get caught and distracted by “production” but now I do my best to use it as a cue to shift the balance, not to work harder, but to take better care of me.
What do you think?
Blogger, Mother, Founder of Nutmeg Aspirin, Advocate & "Guinea Pig" for feeling-getting-being-better. Mara is a NY State Safe & Healthy Foods Advisory Council Member, an Advisor to Columbia University’s Spirituality Mind Body Institute, and is currently involved in The Vitality Project at Brown University--a research study looking at the effects of Qi Gong on cancer patients post chemo and radiation as well as supporting efforts to bring mindfulness to doctors in training and the students at large. Mara is a perpetual student of all aspects of holistic living and passionate about helping others to "feel, get and be better."
Thanks so much for this reminder. As a mom of three, I learned long ago that my family is only as good as I am. Making sure I take care of myself- meditate, yoga, self reflection, sometimes journaling, long walks... not only helps me stay balanced, but it helps all those around me as well. Also, by my discovering what I need to do to take care of myself— to be the best me, I am modeling that behavior for my children. It should be the number one priority on everyone’s to do list!!