These are things I want to focus on in the coming year, and have started to try and pay more attention to now.
I was going to wait to post about this until around the new year, when I'll be looking back at 2018, and talking about my goals for the coming year. But the holidays are upon us, and what better time to remind ourselves of the need for self care than at a time of year when everyone allows such things to slip in their quest to have the perfect holiday celebrations of their imaginations, even if they know that's impossible?
If I've learned one thing about myself during the past year, it's that, just like the people on a quest to have the perfect Thanksgiving or Christmas, I don't practice self care enough.
I forget about my own needs - physical, emotional, and spiritual - in my quest to do everything I think I "need" to do. I have to stop doing that. Sometimes it's OK to say, "No."
Also, I love the concept of Hygge. The idea of having somewhere cosy and safe to just relax, and of doing something just because it makes you feel happy and content, sounds ideal to me. Those things sound like what home should mean, and seem to me to be what both Hygge and self care are all about when you come right down to it.
So, though I'll have a couple of other goals for 2019 too, which I'll tell you about another day, my main goal for the coming year will be to practice better self care. To help me with this, I'll be embracing Hygge, by creating spaces in my home to do the things I love.
I've already started doing this, and plan to continue it through 2019 and beyond.
Lilie is doing her bit to help out. She helps by bringing me a toy to play with from time to time, reminding me to take regular breaks, especially if I've been on the computer for a long time. Something you should always do, regardless of what it is you're doing, since standing or sitting in the same spot for too long isn't good for you.
I don't always listen to her. Not if she's constantly demanding attention. But I do often take a moment to step away from the computer and go play with her a little. To just enjoy the moment with her, and not worry about anything else for that time. Because sometimes you have to just enjoy the moment, whether you do it while playing with a furry family member, while sitting and relaxing with a cup of your favourite beverage, by taking a walk beside the ocean (or somewhere else you can be near nature) or in some other way.
I've been looking at ways I can eat healthier too. I'm a vegetarian, and my diet isn't too bad anyhow. The thing is though, just because you eat mainly fruit and vegetables, doesn't automatically mean you're eating the healthiest of diets all the time, since there are plenty of unhealthy ways to prepare fruits and vegetables. In other words: there's always room for improvement, so I'm looking at ways I can do better. Not because of weight loss, though that would be nice, and I certainly would like to get some weight off, both for the gynecologists, and for myself.
My goal is for a happier and healthier me - especially once everything's over with as regards the surgery - and a cosy home I can feel glad to return to and call my own.
The upcoming surgery is a chance for a fresh start for me. I want it to be a good one.
I want to fill my mind with life-enhancing, positive, beautiful memories.
~Alexandra Stoddard
How about you? Are you already paying atention to self care, and/or embracing Hygge? If so, do you have any tips for those of us still working on making it something we naturally do? Or is this something you're planning to work on in the future yourself? Either way, I'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas in the comments section of this post.
6 comments:
I have been doing my best to live the Hygge life now for several years and it is the best thing I've ever done. I think I "did it" before, but now it's a conscious decision and helps guide me in making other decisions. The same with self care. I'm getting better at it. I tend to think outside myself and that can kick you in the teeth. So now I am doing my best to listen to my body and my heart and mind. With varied results because it's not a switch you can turn on and off. But it makes life so very much richer.
I wish you well on your quest, Tori. You will love it. (And yes, Lilie will help!)
Jeanie:
Thanks! :)
Yes, I first heard about Hygge from you, when you posted about it a couple of years ago. So I know you've been trying to embrace the concept for a couple of years. I'm glad you're now at a point where you do it more naturally. I'm also glad you're getting better at listening to your body.
I had to look up the definition of Hygge. Never heard of it. But I am heading more in that direction, too. Self-care and Hygge.
I am planning to eat healthier in 2019 and am already leaning more in that direction. I plan to structure my week more than I have in years and years. Or try to. Motivated by the It's Never Too Late To Begin Again by Julia Cameron. I already planned on a day to do calligraphy/lettering classes, for sure--and that fits in with her once a week Artist's Date. I had been going to start a journal for memoir prompts this year and got so sick...and in her book she has a once a week Memoir Writing session! So, I will be doing that, too. Plus--exercise twice a week. She has a 20-minute walk--preferably outside in nature. Well, walks aren't the greatest here in the winter, so I figure any kind of exercise will do.
Anyways--going to fill up my weeks in 2019. Right now I am working on Christmas cards--but hope to have those done by the end of the month. In December I plan to start adding some of these things ahead of time to get in the swing of things before the new year.
So--yes--you and I are thinking similarly! I am tired of feeling like this but it may never go away--so have to learn to live with it. I have things I want to do, no matter how I feel. ;) And trying to be healthier can't hurt. :)
Rita:
Yes. Sounds like you and I are thinking similarly.
I did briefly mention Hygge on here a couple of years ago, when I first heard of it from Jeanie. But I only mentioned it in one post, and it was a while back. Anyway, I've heard more about it online since, and like the concept.
Plus, as you said, trying to be healthier can't hurt. :)
Great post, and good timing for it. It's so easy to let the holiday craziness take over this time of year.
I've gotten much better at saying no over the past few years, especially if it's something I really don't want to do. There's still room for improvement there, but I've definitely made progress.
I definitely need to eat healthier and exercise more, so that will be one of my 2019 goals, which I guess is a form of self care.
Danielle:
Yes, it's much too easy to forget to take care of yourself during the holidays.
There's always room for improvement, but I'm glad you've made such great progress with that.
Yes, eating healthily and exercising is a form of self care.
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