Early in my career, I had an elderly patient who lived in a long-term care facility. She had a long list of health problems. On our first visit, as I asked her about her medical history, she sat shyly with her eyes down, and her hand crept slowly into mine. She gave me a sideways glance as if to ask if it was ok. I smiled and gave her hand a gentle squeeze, and we continued.
Every session after that, she would come in and hold my hand as I asked how she was, and often, while she was on my table having acupuncture, I would stand with her and hold her hand to comfort her.
This patient, in her sweet way, was tending to her needs—or practicing self-care.
Self-care is the intentional practice of caring for our physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Caring for ourselves means becoming attuned to our needs and making the time to engage in activities that nurture and support us in body, mind, and spirit.
Self-care can help us manage stress, handle difficult emotions, avoid illness, be more resilient, and live healthier and happier lives.
Part of self-care is listening to our bodies. Our bodies continuously speak to us—sending us signals that they are content or that something may be amiss. We are all born with the ability to sense what our body needs, be it sleep or hunger, but many of us have forgotten how to listen. Part of the reason is the hectic nature of our lives, which are full of constant stimulation—from social media to caffeine, which have their own impacts on our health.
Self-care encourages us to slow down, become quiet, and tune in to ourselves...
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