No matter who you are, if you working in service of others, or working to make a positive difference, absolutely continue to do that! I find that wonderful! However, when some people aim to be as selfless as possible, it is easy to forget that the love that you give, is the love that you also should get. You may not get that love from other people all the time, and that’s okay, because people are people and you can’t expect everything from others, because we seldom give everything to other people, at least, not to the degree we might think. If we are TRULY giving everything we are to others, even without expecting reciprocation, that isn’t a good thing, in my personal experience. It can be due to a lack of boundaries with others or a slew of other things. To those who seek to make a bright future: remember that YOU are part of that bright future and part of the equation, and taking moments for yourself, to decompress and recharge, are part of the journey. Forget about metrics, numbers, followers, and other things every now and then, because taking care of yourself is exactly what you will need to go long-term!
How Have I Been Taking Care Of Myself?
I’ve had the busiest few months ever, and things are only getting busier. I finished a major project that has been going on, despite staffing shortages. I’ve still been leading community events, even with less free weekends (with a lack of staffing, rotating weekends come sooner). I’ve been conducting interviews, training new hires, giving guidance and direction, leading projects, attending meetings (including meetings with strategic planners) collecting lots of data and making tons of podcast materials (even though I have not posted podcast episodes), spending time with my lovely partner…and all things have been worthwhile! Even so, you will notice that I did not mention that I have given time to self — and I need that time because I can’t be there for others, or be fully present in other spaces, if I am not showing up for myself, regardless of whether others are showing up for me or not…so, I absolutely love food! One thing I do is after a community event, I tend to treat myself to a sit-in restaurant and take in the sights and sounds and just relax,
I’ve also been doing more gaming, putting in lots of hours in Tales of Arise, and I am looking forward to playing Monster Hunter Stories 3! I have been spending more time in positive spaces, with people just being good to each other, because the world has been a sh**show…not necessarily as of late, but things have been especially egregious and at an all-time LOW, as of late, for sure. It’s good to remember that not everyone you meet are scumbags, because algorithms definitely work overtime to show some of the worst things that humanity is doing, because such things tend to trend more easily. Things tend to get worse before they get better, so it’s good to see people out there who are doing the work now, to create a brighter future! Getting away from some of the “trending” things is definitely self-care, and that’s what this post is about.
Being present with self can sometimes be very uncomfortable, especially when you are dealing with things that are uncomfortable. It is important to surround yourself with positive people from time to time, so long as we understand that other people cannot hold all the answers, and all the peace, in OUR OWN lives. If we aren’t seeking to create peace for ourselves, we are letting ourselves down, even if we are elevating others in the process. What things bring you peace? Why do those things bring you peace? Is it possible to incorporate those things, in some ways, into the things you do when bringing peace to others? Think on those things for a bit, because finding the things that bring us joy, and remembering to make time for them, is really helping to make good times for ourselves, so we can do the other things in our lives, whether they are enjoyable or just sorta so-so, with more energy!