What does walking your dog and journaling have in common?

​I used to think self-care was selfish, something only people with a lot of money and time on their hands could even think about. It seemed self-indulgent and out of my reach. That was my thinking many years ago. Since then, I’ve changed my tune. I realized a few years ago that self-care for me wasn’t about going to the spa weekly for massages and manicures (although those are nice from time to time). It was something more accessible, easier, less expensive and often times more fulfilling.
 
I have been practicing self-care right at home on a daily basis for a very long time. For me, taking a few minutes out of each busy morning to journal and drink my favorite cup of tea is a form of self-care. Those 10-15 minutes I spend writing about the past day, week or month, are important in helping me sort out my thoughts and feelings. It gives me something concrete to reflect back on. If I get stuck, I pull a question card from my Soulful Connections deck and see where it leads me. Those few minutes can be a very eye-opening journey.
 
Every morning I take my dog for a walk around the neighborhood. I used to think I did it for him but I love the time we spend in nature, listening to the birds, letting the warm sunshine fall on our faces and saying hello to my neighbors as they come out on their stoops to pick up their morning paper. Is this a form of self-care? You bet. It’s meditation in motion and I cherish the time I get to have a deeper conversation with myself in nature. Not to mention the quality time I get to spend with my favorite pooch.
 
My yoga practice is self-care. The healthy food I choose to eat is a form of self-care. Going to bed early, talking gently with myself and others, they are all forms of self-care.
 
Making time to nurture and care for ourselves can sometimes be difficult. We all have busy lives but what if I told you there was a virtual community of like-minded individuals that are coming together to make self-care simple, easy and fun. That community is being led by Barb Klein, Inspired Possibility, life coach, author of 111 Invitations, retreat facilitator and a close friend and colleague to Peace and Pear. Our missions are similar; to help people create more peace, purpose and fulfillment in their lives. We all have an inner wisdom, a guidance that knows what is best for us and we need only tap into it. I hope you will join me online in the Self-Care Sanctuary being held for four Monday evenings from 7-8:30 pm (Eastern Standard Time) beginning September 10, 2018. To learn more and join us in this inspired virtual community,visit https://www.inspiredpossibility.com/selfcaresanctuary.html
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What about you? How do you practice self-care? Please share in the comments below.

Peace, love and pear!