Go Team 2024: (Re)start with the basics of self-care

Hey Team!

I‘m writing this on Monday evening and I am feeling pretty tired.

(Not ‘worn out and tired of all of the things’ just tired from doing stuff.)

I was at a conference in Quebec on the weekend and while it was a lot of fun, it was also busy, and hot, and involved a bit of convoluted travel.

That all takes a lot of energy and, as a result, today, I both needed rest and I felt restless.

Mostly I felt drawn to rest by sitting outside to read but then I would feel restless from sitting around too long and want to dooooo somethiiiing.

I was starting to get on my own nerves going back and forth between the two (which is never fun) but through a combination of luck and inattention while in the kitchen, I happened to knock something against my empty metal water bottle on the counter.

Being empty and metal, my water bottle made a kind of a clanging noise and it acted like reminder chime for my brain.

Even though I know what to do when I both need rest and feel restless, I often forget in the moment.

When I get stuck in that rest/restless loop, I need to get back to the very basics of self- care like…

Jettisoning anything on my to-do list that isn’t absolutely necessary.

Filling my water bottle and making sure to drink it all. Oh, and some snacks are a good idea, too.

Writing or drawing any thoughts that are dancing around over and over in my brain.

Doing some gentle movement – yoga, walking, a few stretches – so the restless feeling can ease a little.

Deliberately slowing down by meditating, breathing slowly, or by listening to cello or to bilateral music.

Making sure my clothes are comfortable and that I am warm/cool enough.

I know, I know!

That’s a lot of things but I don’t have to do them all. I just pick the one that seems most appealing and start there, then I do as many or as few of the others as needed.

The important thing is that all of these tasks will bring me closer to my favourite self instead of adding to my tiredness or making me more jittery.

So, Team, I’m wondering what kinds of things will help bring you closer to your favourite self?

What kinds of things can you do that help you feel less jittery and more rested?

What are the basics of your self-care?

Please, please, please don’t think that I’m advising you to make a ‘should’ list here.

This is not about the elaborate kinds of “self-care” that influencers try to sell you on, it’s about things that actually help you feel calmer, less agitated, more like yourself.

That might mean lying on the floor with your legs up on a chair or it might mean baking a cake or going for a bike ride or singing opera in your car.

The key is to find the things that work for you and figure out a way to keep that list handy for when you are too tired/restless/worked up to remember them.

I wish you ease in the process.

As always, here are some gold stars for your hard work.