Seems like such an easy thing to do just to take care of ourselves, right? But turns out that there are so many ways that we can trip ourselves up in this arena. I know because I feel like I’ve spent most of my life trying to figure out how I have not taken care of myself (when, how, what, why) and how to take care of myself.

One of the basic ways I take care of myself is that I don’t ingest those things that I used to when I thought I was “just doing what everyone else was doing” but I wasn’t. I was that person who would have one or two drinks before I went out with everyone else to meet for drinks. You know, just to take the edge off. I was that person who could not just eat “one” of anything. I had that compulsive need to eat whatever was in my pantry and fridge. It beckoned me from the other room. I could hear it clear across the house. And then, of course, I was that person who jumped from relationship to relationship to relationship before simmering down after meeting my husband 20 years ago.
Taking care of oneself is probably thought of as just common sense to most people, but for me it has been a long haul to educating myself on what to do. Things like eating nutritious foods (and the right amounts of food), meditating, handling physical, mental, emotional, spiritual problems if/when they occur, exercising, contributing to the world, loving, enjoying nature, friends and family. I’ve been adding to the tools of care for so many years now that sometimes I can forget how it used to be in my world. Not very much fun I can tell you that for sure!

I used to say to my good friends–tongue-in-cheek–that one of the things I have learned about men after living with my husband lo these many years as that they are pretty basic when it comes to being happy. Pretty much if they are fed, healthy, have had plenty of sleep and the right amount of sex–they are good to go…. which is a relief from the complexity of being female. But lately I’ve noticed that my life has calmed down to a loud roar enough that pretty much if I’ve gotten plenty of sleep, exercise, loving and good food—I’m pretty happy too. I also maintain those tools that I’ve learned to do to help me stay sane like spiritual studies, volunteering in my faith community, meditating, connecting with friends, talking over issues with safe people when I need to, not isolating but giving myself alone time when I need it, just the basic stuff.

Depending on where you are in your life you’re either figuring out how to take care of yourself or are maintaining what you’ve learned to do. I think this is probably one area that many of us haven’t known what to do because in many cases it is just “assumed” that we would know how to take care of ourselves. If you don’t know, ask. If you do know, share.

Pass along the gifts that you have so generously been given and the rewards will continue to grow ten-fold.