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Self-care can look so different from individual to individual! Sometimes it means self-discipline and other times it means letting go. In both Chinese Medicine and Waldorf / Steiner education philosophies, it’s about balance. Waldorf education relates it back to breathing in and breathing out activities for the day / weekly rhythms.
Chinese Medicine talks about the importance of balance between the elements both yin and yang. So, depending upon who you are, your unique individual needs, self-care can look so different from person to person! But there are a few simple success indicators when it comes to optimal human body and brain function, no matter what your elemental “make up”, personality profile or energy dynamic.
I’ve been reading a couple of fantastic books lately. One is about the Power of Habits and the other is called Brain Rules. It talks about the key factors that influence our brain function. And not surprisingly, the author talks much about Sleep and exercise. This brings me to the point of encouraging optimal self-care “habits” in the shape of “moving” and exercise in particular.
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Our most book Moving Beyond Pain speaks loud and clear about the role we have in our own pain management. Why does it need to be a priority? Until very recently we have been required to be much more physically active in order to survive, harvesting our own food, walking miles and miles each day for bare essentials.
The brain takes in much more when the body is active, just as it is well known in child development that children learn at a much more rapid rate during play than in any other way!
So the important question is “What can self-care look like?” The short answer is… Balance! We spend enough time sedentary. Baby mums are a great example of this as hours can be spent breastfeeding babies every day!
So, how do we make up for all of this sitting these days? Well, If you drive most of the day, sit for much of it or don’t really move for the majority of your day…it’s all about movement!
It’s as much about mental health as it is our physical wellbeing. You can’t really split the two successfully. So think about whatever brings you balance and make that your priority.
Our favourite saying, our slogan is “Lengthen and strengthen” which is a great philosophy to live by when it comes to muscle health. Balance means, where weak, strengthen, and where tight, lengthen. Muscles need both.
So, I am not here to tell you that self care is more sleep, more exercise or more whatever…in fact, I’m more of a “less is best” person. I’m more of a keep it simple kind of person, which is why my best advice around self care is, tune in!
You know what you need better than anyone so just focus on and prioritise that for a moment. See how that feels.
Simple! Just tune in and give yourself a minute to breathe, switch off and tune “out” of all the external noise and demands!
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