It's been quite a ride the last nearly two years. Now more than ever we are engaging in self-care which is to attend to our spiritual needs so we can be present for others. We have a digital frame in our home with this saying:
Self-care allows you to give others the best of you instead of what's left of you...
As we connect with our God or our Higher Power as we understand God, we can get refreshed and reach out and be the best people we can in the moment. It's taken me a really long time to realize that actions speak louder than words. I've integrated that lesson into my life so my actions demonstrate that I care for my wife and kids....basically, following through on commitments and learning the love language of the people we care for by finding ways to connect with them.
For some people in my life, I talk too much and don't connect with folks that don't connect by talking at the outset....sometimes board games and card games can help me connect with those I love...basically doing a shared activity. Could be any shared activity, cleaning the kitchen, the house, going for a walk, riding a bike. It helps to find out how our loved ones like to connect with us so they feel important.
At the beginning of the summer, made a commitment to resurface the front porch with a textured paint that helps prevent falling down when the porch is wet. Also was able to paint the trim and shutters a gloss black which makes the house pop quite a bit. Will paint the gates gloss black to help the appearance of the house. This meant a lot to my wife and my words weren't empty promises or just talk. Following through is a good thing.
Follow-through helps in personal relationships and work. Sometimes, I over-commit to things and not know what I need to work on in the moment. By slowing down, it helps to get a sense of what is important in the moment without engaging in impulsivity.
A week and a half ago, enjoyed coffee with my child, Heather, at the local cafe. It was nice and we had a great conversation. We are making plans to work on the garage to get it organized soon.
Self-care can give us the energy we need to care for the people around us. It helps if we don't burn out by over-committing to others. 'No' is a way of self-care so we don't compromise our souls.
Self-care can include engaging in our hobbies, journaling, cooking a meal for ourselves, a cup of tea or coffee or cocoa, hanging out with our furry friends or maybe sitting outside and getting some sunshine on our bodies. If we meditate, we can find out the best self-care activities we can do.
Kindness is something we can all do....whether we are at the grocery store, out in public at various locations, we can always extend kindness to others. Maybe by extending kindness we might get chills which can be a good thing because we are experiencing the energy and wonder of life with other people.
Kindness to others can help energize us some without our overdoing it. It can be a nice re-charge for our souls. Everyone loves to be seen and have kindness extended to them.
Be kind everyone and take care of yourselves!
Blessings to all!
~TommyJ~
