Category: Mindful

coffee, family, http://schemas.google.com/blogger/2008/kind#post, journaling, lists, Mindful, Mindfulness, to-do, work

The Importance of Self Care

Olof

I’d like to take today to talk about the importance of self care no matter what your profession is but especially when you are in a care taking job. Whether you are in the health care field, a mother, or taking care of aging parents people get depleted pretty quickly. It is difficult to keep giving and giving but a lot of people misunderstand what self care really looks like. It isn’t always a massage and a mani/pedi. Self care can be as little as just taking 15 min in the morning and reflecting on what your day will look like and remembering to acknowledge the things you can be thankful for that day. Morning journaling can go a long way in putting your mind in the mind set of getting things done and prepping for what is to come that day. Drinking your favorite warm beverage or juice while doing this can help set the mood for a wonderful day. It is just a short check in with yourself. Your feelings and your body.

Most western countries have the bad habit of hitting the ground running as soon as the alarm goes off. Believe me I make this mistake too. Especially while I was working full time. But I always tried once I got to work to make myself a cup of coffee, look over my calendar, and envision what my day will look like. What tasks I had left over from the day before and what I needed to do that day. Now as a stay at home I go over all the different tasks that I have to do to keep this family functioning.

Morning Journal is my favorite and least expensive self care technique. There are plenty of other ways.

  • Exercising (especially walking and Yoga)
  • Meditation (even if it is only checking in with your body for 5 min and using mindful breathing)
  • Coloring or drawing (art lets the part of the brain that does not have words express itself)
  • A mindful shower (where you are mindful of your body and are thankful for all it does for you)
  • Mindful cleaning (Remembering to only hold on to the things that have function and you love and get rid of the rest so it does not clutter your home or your mind)
  • Aroma therapy (essential oils can make a huge difference in mood and feeling)
  • Mindful eating (enjoy each bite of your food and check in with how it makes your body feel)
  • Chatting with a friend (make sure that this friend is a friend that helps you feel better and does not drain you of your energy) 
  • Gardening
  • Knitting (or whatever your favorite hobby is)
What is your favorite self care technique? How do you like to start or end your day?
living, Mindful, Parenting

Mindful Friday…..

Olof
As I sit here getting ready for my day with my cup of coffee I am trying to remind myself of being mindful of my state of being. Mindful of my body and surroundings.

The desk that needs to be organized and decluttered today

Alex likes to sit on things.

Magni having a lazy morning with PBS kids

The laundry I get to do today.

The cookies Magni and I made yesterday that doubled as breakfast this morning

Morning cup of coffee. Nom Nom.

The to do list for the day.

The grief books I am working myself through at the moment.

Alex helping me with photo set up.

Last week’s menu plan.

Right now I am:

:: feeling the throbbing pain in my head after hitting my head on the mantle after trying to find a toy in Alex’s toy basket to keep him good while I write this post.
:: feeling the tightness in my shoulders from the last few weeks of stress and grief.
:: thankful that my family is healthy and strong.
:: listening to PBS kids which I turned on to keep Magni busy while I wrote this blog post.
:: breathing deep to try to dissipate some frustration since my youngest has made it over here and is grabbing and screaming at me (that is his new trick. Screaming like he is being tortured to get attention.).
:: looking forward to  hearing what Odinn’s second day at school was like. He did so well yesterday for his first day.
:: anxious to hear back from the job interview I went to on Tuesday.
:: hoping I can make it through all the laundry, menu planing, grocery shopping and organizing today.
:: missing my family in Iceland and my mamma
:: looking at the grief books and wondering where I should keep them when I am not reading them.
:: glad that even if I don’t get the job that there is room for Alex and Magni at the mother’s day out program down the street so they will go 3 times a week for 5 hours at a time and this mamma will have time to get stuff done.
:: looking forward to Family Night tonight where we order in and watch a family movie together.
::wondering what we should eat this week.
::realizing that Alex will not let me do any more of this today so I better wrap this up and post it.
:: wishing you peace, love and happiness. Hoping that you are living the life you love and love the life you live.
:: going to take care of my children.

Thank you for stopping by and hope you are able to be in the moment today.