Almost every woman I work with shares a common issue. They are the last to get what they need amidst their busy family lives, work, friends, and the demands of every day living. I too figured out the hard way, you can’t take care of others if you are not ok!
A couple of years ago, I found myself in the ER with a health challenge that made it hard for me to even get up off of the couch. My incessant care and concern for others came to a screeching halt involuntarily! I reached out to help from a healer for help. I distinctly remember her asking me, “How would you care for a painting masterpiece such as a Picasso?” I responded that I would hang it in a special place, I would dust it, I would give it the proper security, and put special lighting on it, etc. Then she said, “God made you unique and perfect as his child, just like a masterpiece.” I realized at that moment that I had not been treating myself this way. I had been caring for everyone else, working too hard, allowing stress and worry to replace my time in prayer, my self-care was virtually non-existent.
It was this advice combined with my doctor’s recommendation that the coming year needed to be the “Year of Brooke,” that put me on a new path of discovery. A path to find all of the ways that I might care for myself in a more loving and specific way like you would a valuable work of fine art. I started with simple things like breathwork and spending more quiet time in prayer. I began to learn how to say “no” to things and studied how to set proper boundaries. I looked inward to unpack any negative beliefs that were holding me back from caring for myself. One was, “I help others at the expense of myself.” This belief amongst many others had to go!
I found many simple ways to care for myself. I found that unwinding with a bath at the end of the day helped. Yoga and meditation helped me stretch and slow down, calming my mind and body. I made gratitude lists and said “no” to lots of things. I learned to ask for help. This was a BIG one for me! The work to learn to take care of myself was specific and intentional. I hired a nutritionist and went to acupuncture. I got massages every couple of weeks. It felt so indulgent at the beginning, but after a while, I realized how much I needed the work. The results were phenomenal. My relationships grew. I felt I would lose people if I stopped doing all that I had done for them before. Interestingly the exact opposite occurred. My family was happy to help and I believe felt a deeper connection to me as I allowed them in closer and let them help me.
If you are like most women, you may need a little jumpstart at finding good ways to take care of yourself. For most of us, this is a skill to be developed! Here you will find a guide created just for you to help you get started! Please reach out if you’d like 1:1 coaching support here. Together we can brainstorm how you can make your self-care a priority in your busy life!