The Secretes of Self-Care: 5 Steps to Calm the waves and go with the flow

How do you feel?

Are you stressed, anxious, worried or even fearful? Running from A to B to deal with working from home, helping your kids with distance learning, organizing the household and trying to apply to the current distance regulations?

Or did you find a way to gracefully deal with the present circumstances and just go with the flow? Congratulations, you are on the bright sight and don`t need to read further!

Ride the waves of life and go with the flow

But if you are lonely or bored, sitting home all day, eating, sleeping and working, you might feel demotivated or depressed. You miss your friends as you can´t go out in the evening for a drink or a dance and you feel the threat of cabin fever? Or is it the opposite: you are home with your family; since months the same faces, you are together ALL DAY LONG and you feel there is no room for you?

Either way, it´s time for some self-care!

There is a lot to juggle right now and for sure there is no right or wrong in dealing with the circumstances. But the more we look after ourselves, the better we can adjust to the situation. It´s time for some self-care to calm the waves of life and go with the flow.

Self-care is not that one-time thing like a week-long retreat or a meditation trip we do to make us feel better, it´s the tiny little steps to enjoy the present moment and have a better day. Retreats can have a wonderful impact to your well-being, but more important than a one-time relaxation is to mindfully watch your actions throughout the day and implement little pauses to rest and reset (“Do less, gain more”). Only, if you look after yourself first, you are able to look after others and turn towards your work tasks with full energy.

Life comes in waves, and so it´s best to take them as they come:

1^st Wave: the morning breeze

How do you start your day? Welcome the day with a smile and tell yourself that you are grateful for all the actions you will take throughout the day. Stretch yourself in front of the open window and take in some fresh air to channel your energies. Spoil yourself with a healthy breakfast.

2^nd Wave: mid-day flow

Take a break and reward yourself with a light lunch to boost your energy and regain your focus. Take a few steps outside and breath in the fresh air. Look back at your morning and congratulate yourself for what you have achieved. Not done yet? It doesn´t matter. You have already started and surely accomplished more than you think.

3rd Wave: afternoon low

This is one of the most important ones, the afternoon low, which strikes us right after lunch. Your body is occupied with digestion, you are tired and your mind keeps telling you: look at you, nothing done today, but already tired, you are really unproductive. Don´t listen to it! Get up, swirl your arms around you, take a couple of deep breath in and make yourself a nice coup of tea. Cross the mirror and give yourself a smile. Tell yourself you are doing great and that the day is not done yet.

4^th Wave: evening glow

What a beautiful day. It´s time to harvest the fruits. You have already done a lot and it´s time to really look after yourself now. Getting some fresh air in a long outside walk? Attending an online workout or Yoga session, or just run yourself a nice bath? Now is the time to care for yourself to reset your energies. Go for it, if you enjoy playing with the kids, but ask them for 20 minutes for yourself first and then fully enjoy the time with them.

5^th Wave: wind down

You have done a lot today. Don´t reopen the laptop again to check a couple of mails and the task for tomorrow. If you feel like watching a Netflix series go for it. But don´t just switch it on for the sake of distraction. Grab the book on your nightstand and enjoy some silent time reading. Or you find time for a meditation now, to peacefully end the day (“The Beauty of a Quiet Mind”).

Don´t wait, just act

As you see, self-care is not a fixed state or sudden feeling, self-care comes from taking action towards your own well-being. The more you integrate little actions of self-care in your daily routine, the more balanced and fulfilled you perceive your life. (Compare: Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life.)

I am part of a 5-person household and sometimes it can be hard to find time for myself. The trick is not to wait until a slot opens up, but to actively claim it. It needs a bit of practice, but the more you are accustomed to actively use these little islands within the day, the better you become in calming the waves and go with the flow.