Oftentimes, feelings of overwhelm and anxiety can creep up on us, quietly lurking in the background… until “Bam!” We’re suddenly overcome with feelings of stress, worry, or irritation. And while we preach self-care to our friends and family, we may secretly think to ourselves, “But I don’t have TIME to do those things… there is still so much to be done!”
Rather than hurtling full-speed ahead into Holiday Meltdown Mode, I encourage you to try the Check-in Challenge this week. Find a time – whether it’s first thing in the morning, or before you go to bed – and make a note of how you’re feeling – mentally, physically and spiritually.
It can be helpful to jot some notes down somewhere; it can be in a journal, or in your notes section of your phone. You can also download the free Calm app – it has a daily check-in option that allows you to track your emotions and leave notes about what happened during the day or what you’re thinking about.
The daily act of checking-in with yourself helps to generate awareness of your thought patterns, your worries, and your feelings of gratitude. Sometimes the act of simply writing down our thoughts and feelings can help to tame them. By reflecting over a week’s worth of notes, you can also help to better understand how your emotions can build or what happens in your day that gets your amygdala firing.
When you become more aware of yourself, you can use that knowledge to practice intentional self-care. Whether that involves meditation, going for a walk, engaging in a hobby, talking to a counsellor, taking a day off… there are many ways that we can re-center ourselves. There is no “one-size-fits-all” for self care.
Take on the challenge and then let me know how it goes! I can’t wait to hear about what you learn about yourself!
