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A Holiday Intention

12/21/2017

1 Comment

 
It seems like it takes a lot of effort to take care of myself these days.  When I was younger I never gave looking after myself much thought.  I functioned on very little sleep, made horrible choices on food and basically fuelled my body with caffeine, nicotine and processed foods.  Fact is, my 30 year-old self didn’t do a very good job of things.  Now it seems, with each passing year, I need to expend more and more effort just to keep my body functioning and fending off illness and injury.   My dental hygiene regimen alone adds about 45 minutes to my day - and don’t even get me started on the time and preparation to eat well!  I don’t always go at these self-care tasks happily.  Now as winter begins in earnest, social engagements ramp up and the encouragement to over-indulge surrounds me – it seems like all I want to do is retreat to the couch, eat chocolate and drink wine!  Wake me up in next spring! But this year, I want to avoid the cycle of indulgence and self-recrimination that this season often means for me.  I want to approach this season with self-compassion! So today when I began my morning meditation I repeated some loving kindness phrases that were taught to me years ago by my meditation teacher.  

May I be safe, May I be happy, May I be healthy, May I look after myself with joy.

That last line made me pause.  I have been begrudging the time and effort self-care takes; actually even resenting it.  If I honestly compare the after effects of how I feel when I’ve been inactive and engage in short-term pleasure like over-eating, versus how I feel after self-care activities - there is little doubt which path is kinder to myself.  Self-care activities often make me feel more buoyant, lighter and energized.  So I asked myself – am I worthy of these caring efforts? Do I love myself enough to “look after myself with joy”?

So today I’m setting the intention to look after myself with joy.  I doubt that I will be successful at this all the time; I am a fallible human being after all.  I do believe however, that just like every other living being, I deserve to be lovingly cared for.  It is gift that I would like to give myself this year.  What about you, dear reader?   What intention could you set to be kinder to yourself?  I’d love to hear about it if you care to share.  

I wish you many moments of self-compassion this season and always.

With Kindness, Patricia
1 Comment
Cathy
12/28/2017 02:39:36 pm

Hi Patricia,

Taking care of myself with joy… treating myself with the same kindness as I would a friend; I have been repeating these words for a several years now. These words always bring me comfort and restore my commitment to myself…..but it is a fleeting moment and I’ve been discouraged by this. Today while practicing my loving kindness phrases, I heard the words…” say it like you mean it!” This startled me at a deep level and suddenly I began to think about how I treat a friend or client when they are struggling to take care of themselves. And there it was, I discovered (or maybe rediscovered) the missing ingredient!

I found myself counting up all the small things I do every day to take care of myself: packing my lunch with good food, going to the doctor when something is not right, taking time to pet my cats and enjoy their warm affection, watch the birds at the feeder, drinking my morning coffee in a slow leisurely way each morning, noticing when my body is tired and stretching it or going to bed early, and this list just kept coming, I was surprised by how many things I do. I noticed I felt happy, proud and encouraged by this.

And so you asked “What intention could you set to be kinder to yourself”; I am going to stop striving to be perfect at self-care because it turns out I am taking care of myself with joy…. With small gestures throughout my day.

Sincerely, Cathy

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