The Art of Self-Care

by | May 1, 2023 | Purpose

So, do you remember when you children were babies? So precious!! I am sure that you remember those days…who could forget!! It is a precious time for moms, dads and babies when all of their needs are met by trying to understand their unique communications-when they are hungry, when they are wet, when they are tired?

I had so many hopes and dreams for my baby then and luckily I was very tuned into the fact that being a parent, as Jon Kabat-Zinn has said for many years, is like being on an 18 year Spiritual Retreat! He had that nailed!! Now that my daughter is 19, I have a different vantage point and I am so grateful for my “Miracle from God”. I was prepared and I wasn’t prepared for being the parent that my daughter needed me to be. I had learned some of the important points about feeding her, changing her diapers, putting her in her crib face up so that she could breath safely and the potential stresses of being a new parent. I was totally unprepared for the the Amazing Love that overcame me when my daughter was  born, as well as the Amazing experiences and the Challenging stresses of parenting my own daughter! That would come with time.

What I know for sure is that without caring for ourselves, nourishing ourselves, loving ourselves and spending time rejuvenating and replenishing our own “Physical, Emotional and Spiritual Parenting Bank”, this work can be difficult, can leave you feeling exhausted, overwhelmed at times and, without realizing it, spill over into creating stresses and life challenges for our kids. What we focus on multiplies and there are an abundance of Things we can do to keep our life replenished and balanced today: Mindfulness Meditation, Yoga, Qigong, Exercise, Prayer…some of us need alone time and some of us need friendship time and some of us need community time!

So I invite you to Ask yourself, “What is important to me, us, our family for Good Health? AND “What do I need to nourish my Parenting Bank”  for my good, better, best Good Health as a Parent?” Listen for the answer within….and Trust what answer comes to You!  Have a Wonderful Thanksgiving!!