Self-Care: Hitting the Pause Button

An essential part to maintaining wellness and mental health is practicing regular self-care. Self-care is a popular topic and blogged about many times before, but for good reason. We all have responsibilities that can easily crowd out the time for oneself. It is difficult to hit the pause button; to take time to breathe-in and exhale-out. But we need self-care to stay balanced in giving of ourselves to others, while not neglecting the time to recharge the inner self.

There are many ways to practice self-care, but I would like to bring attention to self-care that is more about setting aside time for introspection and reflection. We all can benefit from quiet time to check-in with oneself about how you are feeling mentally and emotionally. How often do we overlook the value of getting in touch with our emotional state and listening to our body when it says “Rest”, or “Be Present”.

The type of self-care that allows you to rest and be present looks different for everyone. For some it is a daily devotion, and for others it is about keeping a meditation practice, journaling, going for a peaceful walk or crocheting. The activity does not matter as much as the intention behind hitting the pause button, being present and taking time to focus on nurturing the heart, mind, and spirit of you.

After hitting the pause button, you may find yourself in a better position to give to family, friends, and those in your community. So, try being intentional about taking moments to be fully present with yourself.