Our lives present quite the conundrum. Throughout our entire lives, we learn that change is the only constant. However, as a counselor and through personal experience, I came to find out that the most human beings do not cope well with change. We possess an innate desire to feel in control and like to know what happens next. We enjoy consistency and stability.
Oh, how reality and expectations contradict one another.
At the end of the day, there is only so much we can control including how we manage our feelings and well-being alongside these changes.
Self-care, my friends. That is how we can manage our well-being. I do love the saying, “Self-care is not a privilege, but a necessity.” Spa days and extravagant vacations are great, but you cannot do those every day. Over the last few weeks, I encouraged myself to build self-care into my daily schedule even if it was for fifteen minutes.
My self-care took on many different forms. Some days I built in a naptime. Other days, I went fishing for an hour depending on where my job took me that day (I drive around quite a bit.). Some evenings included video game or YouTube time to decompress. Other nights encompassed time with friends and my girlfriend. In its simplest form, I took five to ten minutes a few mornings a week to have a cup of coffee and check my phone at Starbucks.
Those little moments that I built in and had control over made riding the waves of our chaotic reality a bit smoother. Never underestimate how a moment can dictate the direction of your day.
-The Caring Counselor