The Art of Extreme Self-Care Chapter 12

Hello and welcome to The Art of Extreme Self-care postpartum style. For those of you who are new to my blog, last December I announced I would be doing a read-a-long of The Art of Extreme Self-care by Cheryl Richardson and sharing with you how I applied the principles of the book in a postpartum setting. We did it folks. We made it through the whole book. Last chapter was about waking up your passion. Let's dive into chapter 12.

Chapter Overview: Creating an Extreme Self-care Emergency kit

What I got out of the chapter: Life happens. Kids teeth, have growing pains, get sick, and have rough days. Jobs can be stressful. Family can bring all kinds of drama. Having a Self-care Emergency Kit is extremely important to get you through those tough times that happen to everyone.

Saturday was one of them for me. I woke up in a crappy mood. All week my emotions had been spiraling downward. Part of the reason was I hadn’t had time to run, my newest endorphin-booster, and there had been other challenging things throughout the week that have thrown my mood off track. This morning, all I wanted was to crawl back in bed and forget the world. I put on Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood for Boo Creature, climbed back into bed, and threw the cover over my head. It took every ounce of energy and will power to get my ass out of bed after she watched 3 episodes and go running as my usual weekend routine goes. I took her to the park and ran around the playground as she played on the slides. My mood didn’t improve. 

When I got home Hubby woke up and took over after I told him what was going on. I took a sea salt bath while reading a good book. He cooked a late brunch for us and brought me a plate of pancakes and eggs while I bathed- something that made me feel like a queen. The delicious food, wonderful bath, and good book helped a little, but I was still pretty pissy. 

By now nap time had arrived. I lay down with my girl and we took a two hour nap. When I woke up in the afternoon, I felt a little better. We snuggled together and looked at pictures on my phone. A half hour later I felt even better. And I got up to write this post. 

I utilized at least three of the tools in my Self-care Emergency Kit.  Using the questions that Cheryl asks in chapter, I created the following kit and today I’m so happy I had it:
 

1.      Who can I turn to for support? My husband, my 2 best friends, and my goddess circle ladies.

2.      Who do I need to avoid? Certain family members, anyone who has intense energy.

3.      What does my body need? Yoga, swimming, sea salt bath, sleep, and time in nature.

4.      What responsibilities to I need to let go of to clear space? Writing, social gathering, and in extreme cases take time off work.

5.      What unhelpful coping strategies or activities do I need to avoid? Mindless TV watching, internet surfing, Facebook surfing, and playing Facebook games.

6.      What spiritual practice restores my faith and connection to Source? Yoga, meditation, and walking in nature (especially the beach).

7.      What do I need to feel comforted? I need space, food, and time to rest.

8.      How will I best express my feelings? Journaling and talking to a trusted friend.

9.      What object can I use as a talisman that will remind me to breath & relax? My heart-shaped rose quartz.

10.   What can I do when I need to take a break from the emotional stress? Read a good book, watch a funny movie, eat a Greek Salad with a glass of wine, and take a bath.

Thank you so much for reading this fantastic book with me throughout the year. I really enjoyed sharing what I’ve learned. Stayed tuned for an exciting announcement next week. 

Love,
Melania