I have been thinking a lot about self-care. So many people who have been fully working through COVID-19, as well as those having to take on new responsibilities, are really tired now. Parents have become teachers, medical professionals are traveling to different states to help highly affected areas, custodians have had to up their game, just to name a few examples. Many are working hard, caring much, and feeling drained. This wasn’t supposed to last this long, right?
Self-care is important in “normal” times, but today, it is vital. My morning reading today began with Matthew 5:13, “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?” You don’t have to be a Bible reader to see the gem in here. If we lose our “flavor”, our energy, passion, our sense of self, we cannot help others. We cannot maintain without self-care.
The problem is, for many of us, our self-care activities have been taken away. Meeting with friends for coffee, spending time at a national park, working out at the gym, or even receiving a hug from a friend. So, what do we do when all our energizers have been taken away? We find an alternative or adapt our previous interests. Here are some ideas:
• Gym – invite some friends to join you with a regular outdoor workout, maintaining 6’ distance
• Coffee date – invite your friends to coffee on the patio or in the yard at your house, you could even drive-through for the coffees and bring them home
• Hiking – try a neighborhood walk, choosing a new neighborhood outside of your own. Where in your town have you not spent much time? It could be fun to see something new.
• Lunch with friends – invite your friends to each to bring their own lunch and meet at a park, maintaining physical distancing
• Me time – schedule some time for yourself. Read a book, work on a hobby, take a long bath, whatever allows you to relax a little
• Virtual fun – play a virtual game with a distant friend, join together for a virtual experience. There are many other opportunities such as Airbnb virtual experiences.
Whatever you do, don’t let your flavor fade out. Revitalize yourself with some self-care activities. What will you do this week?