Okay….so about this self care thing! Many people think that self care is just another term for being selfish, some people think it is this new creation made by the Millennial generation to fight the corporate life, but in truth, Self-Care is something that is necessary for each and every individual! And, if you don’t practice Self-Care, you will most likely end up being/having a “break down” of some sort, sleep deprived, malnourished, sick, late to work, struggling with daily tasks, and not being able to bring your best self to whatever it is that you do! Self-Care is the crux to being our best selves, and when we forget to care for ourselves, we lose sight of what is important, and we end up in a state of crisis!
With that being said, prevention is key when practicing Self-Care. By prevention, I mean making sure that you avoid that dreaded breakdown due to being overworked, overtired, and not taking the time to take care of yourself! Therefore, anyone that struggles with the concept of Self-Care, or maybe finding the time to practice Self-Care, will benefit from the two analogies stated below…
Airplane Oxygen Mask Self-Care:
Think about that oh so dreaded, but necessary, airplane safety video/demonstration you are required to watch before taking off…you know when the video or flight attendant states that you must secure your oxygen mask before helping someone else?….Well the same goes for Self-Care! You cannot EFFICIENTLY and SUCCESSFULLY take care of others, until you take care of yourself! Much like the airplane oxygen analogy, you cannot secure another passengers’s oxygen mask, if you can’t breathe yourself! Therefore, keep in mind…this Self-Care thing is no joke, all doctors, helping professionals, nurses, surgeons, and all individual’s within the medical field are advised to practice Self-Care, to ensure that they can provide the best care to their patients and clients….so this “Self-Care” thing is the opposite of selfish, it is selfless! The same goes for you if you are a parent, any sort of caregiver, or really anyone, because you cannot bring your full self, and do your best when you haven’t taken care of yourself. When it comes to ED and ED Recovery, practicing Self-Care allows for you to take your ED head on, you won’t fall for those manipulations, triggers and abusive behaviors, that ED throws at you….you will be able to stand up to your ED and be successful within your Recovery….So Self-Care, Self-Care, Self-Care!
First Aid Kit Self-Care:
The Band-Aid…. this is a difficult and incredibly frustrating thing within Eating Disorder Recovery! The individuals that I have worked with, met with, and spoken with about the process of Recovery (including myself), almost always state how frustrating it is that their ED behaviors and tendencies are still present! So many families within ED Recovery, also tend to get incredibly frustrated with the time commitment involved within Recovery… “We have been through the treatment, and taken every step….why is she still sick, why isn’t she better?” Here is the brutally honest answer….ED Recovery is a process and a journey, albeit a long one, filled with bumps, and potholes, and treacherous roads, and yes, going through treatment is the start to a smoother path, but it is the hard work after treatment, that leads you to a successful recovery! In other words, many individuals, including myself, want/wanted the easy fix, to put a Band-Aid on their wound, and move on….but no matter what, that wound will start bleeding again, because a Band-Aid can only protect something for so long before it wears off!
In simple terms, practicing Self-Care, which for many individuals within ED Recovery is hard work, is crucial! You will not successfully heal by just putting a Band-Aid over your wound; it is a temporary fix to a long-term problem!
So instead of that Band-Aid, why not give your wound (your body and soul) a little bit of love, and care! Heal yourself from your eating disorder by using that entire First Aid Kit, constant Self-Care and constant patience for your wound to fully heal! I promise you, that with a lot of hard work, professional help, and Self-Care, Self-Care, Self-Care….you will heal completely and find a state of Recovery! Use your entire First Aid Kit, use all of the support that you have in your life, lean on those that you can trust, the more you care for yourself inside and out the more you will love your self inside and out, and the further you will get through your own recovery! I promise!
So, as we move into the rest of our week, I challenge you to #Self-CareItOut everyday!