The term self-care is very fashionable these days, which I’m happy about, but self-care is much more than booking yourself the occasional massage and putting your phone on aeroplane mode in the evening.
Listening to what your body and heart need is the kind of self-care that can truly transform your mental and physical wellbeing.
It creates a deep level of awareness and attention so that every choice you make will help you to experience more ease and nourishment in your body and heart.
As well as gentle nurturing, self-care means facing things that drain you of energy.
This might mean having an uncomfortable conversation with a friend with whom you aren’t going to stay in touch anymore, which releases you from the weight of avoiding it.
It may mean looking at your bank account and making changes so you release stress and feel calm about that area of your life.
It could be planning which foods to eat today to help your body function properly and feel nourished or scheduling time for physical movement.
To nurture yourself further and develop a deeper level of awareness, integrate a mental hygiene practice such as meta meditation (loving-kindness), starting with yourself and then directing love inward and extending it outward. To feel well, we need to be in service of something greater than ourselves (dharma).
Self-care means doing everything possible to bring peace to your body and mind and integrate them into your daily routines and relationships.
Most importantly, know that you are not alone on the path. Call for support and open your arms to receive and give because connections are vital for your well-being.













