The Courageous Life Coaching Certification program I’m in requires us to complete at least 60 hours of coaching. For most of us, that has been, or is in the process of being accomplished by coaching peers. With each coaching session where you are the client (recipient of someone else’s coaching), you name your focus for the session. A recurring one among many of us has been self care.
It’s a broad topic, and there is certainly a lot of buzz around that term in the news, in books, in other coaching practices, and in social media. Like everything in our lives, we have our own definitions for most things, usually based on personal significance. It’s different for each one of us.
Not surprisingly, I’ve spent some time over the last couple of months examining what self care means in my life. The list I’ve come up with so far is just that – my list. At first glance, it might feel broad and/or vague. I’m not suggesting that it’s a list that should hold significance for you, and likely won’t. It’s just a sharing of what I’ve noticed for me, and it’s always interesting to start the conversation and learn what everyone else is noticing. I’ve concluded that it’s going to remain an ongoing area of examination for me.
Right now, these are my big areas of self care:
Balance: Anything that gives me a sense of balance and well-being in my life. Routine is big for me. It keeps my life running reasonably smoothly, and when I allow something to get in the way of that routine, I’m quickly reminded of why it is important to me. Some people feel stifled by routine. It’s just the opposite for me.
Sleep: I never get enough of it and have an adult-long history of shoving it to the bottom of the priority list. When I don’t prioritize it, everybody suffers the consequence, most of all me.
Exercise: That’s another huge one for me. Getting to the gym in the morning takes precedence over almost everything for me. Is that self indulgent? Does that make it an “addiction”? I don’t think so. It is THE place where I draw the line. I need it in my life. It feeds my spirit, it’s a big factor in maintaining my health, it helps me process life and it gives me forward momentum.
Food/Diet/Nutrition: I pay a lot of attention to the food I put into my body. It makes a big difference in how I feel on any given day.
Stillness/quiet time: I need it. The amount of time I can carve out varies from day to day, but I try to find a little bit of it every day, usually in the morning.
That’s my list right now. What’s on your list? Give it some thought. It might surprise you!
Your biggest fan,
Jean
