Moody Monday: Self Care

 It has been a challenging few months.  People keep dying, I gave up and ordered sympathy cards by the dozen from uncle Jeff.  Friends pets keep dying, beloved dogs and cats - members of the family of people I care about.  Work can always be challenging, there have been a few strange items recently - a document that is three months behind schedule that came in only to need massive editing, and budget season is rapidly approaching. Politics, especially at the state level are simply frightening.  The good news was there is asteroid the size of a house that has about 1 in 500 chance of slamming into the earth sometime in my lifetime.  At times I find myself saying out loud (I talk to myself in the shower) that I just don't want to do this anymore. 

I was scheduled to take part in a virtual meeting all day last Friday and Saturday. I have a seat at the table on a big national project, on an issue I have been passionate about since I was a teenager.  I made it through Friday, though I had little or nothing to add.  I was pleased that others had problems with the same issues I had spent a couple of hours debating by email with the chair of the meeting. No matter what I said, she had three counter arguments why her way was best. I am glad I was not the only one who had problems with her idea, but the fight had gone out of me. I sent an email that I was "feeling off, and wouldn't join in today."  No offense to those with mental illness that need more than a day off to make life tolerable, but I needed to take a mental health day, a day of self care.  

What makes me feel better?  Reading what friends are up to (your blogs.)  Writing.  Watching a little video.  The right music.  Cooking - Saturday I made a white bean soup from scratch (no canned bean shortcuts.) A morning run to the farmers market.  A walk.  A nap.  A long hot shower.  (One advantage of living in a massive high rise, hot water is supplied by the building, meaning we have an endless supply of hot water, I can run the dishwasher, the washing machine, and we can both take a long shower and the hot water just keeps coming.) A day of indulging in me, rest and recharging. 

We all need to know what works for us on self care.  For some it is a spa day, or a day out walking, or hiking.  Whatever it is, know what it is, know when you need to do it, and allow yourself to do so.