Challenges with Self Care
I often see a fair bit about self care being ways of being kind to yourself.
With chronic pain and illnesses though, we often have treatments or ways of managing our conditions that aren't fun, can be difficult or are painful to do. Many of those fall within self care too.
What aspect of self care to you find to be the most difficult?
What do you like doing the least?
For me, figuring out the appropriate actions is one of the more difficult things to do. Sometimes this is described with a stoplight. It's complicated for me by multiple conditions and inconsistency of symptoms and also my presentation differing greatly from what's typically seen. I've also learned that many things I've just taken to be normal things that everyone experiences and deals with aren't.
The thing I actually like doing the least is starting an IV, although I certainly hate it less now than when I first tried!
@AffyAvo
This is a good topic. Self care is so important.
We always hear "treat others the way you want to be treated". However, if we don't know HOW we want to be treated, how do we know what others want from us?
But anyway, the most difficult thing for me is to stop and pause. With two little kids I am always on the go. My sleep time is usually <6hrs. So rest and stop is what I need to do.
THe thing that I like doing the least is writing diary. I know it is a good daily habit. But I rather spend the time hanging out with friends.
@HopeIn7Cups
I can imagine little kids makes many aspects of self care more challenging! I found your comment about writing interesting - whenever personal writing is brought up I've only heard from people doing it if they enjoy it.
The self care thing I have the hardest time with is getting up at the same time every day, including weekends. I know it's the habit that goes the longest way toward my feeling better, with less fatigue, and that if I get up and do my workday morning routine (shower, morning pages, gentle yoga, walk dog, eat and read), the whole day goes better.
But even though I go to bed at the same time every night, getting up at 7 on weekends just seems unbearable.
Absolutely get that entirely! I always think of 7am as a swear word if i don't have to go somewhere. @ThisIs543
Self care is so important so thank you for starting this thread, i really struggle mainly with washing my hair as almost every time i try myself i end up dislocating my shoulder. The one thing i do instead for myself that really helps me feel better are facials, i love the pampering of clensing and toning which just relaxes me and helps my skin too :) @AffyAvo
@ElanortheFair Ouch! I find showers difficult sometimes too, mostly because of fatigue and it can also make skin issues worse when they are flared up or if they used higher levels of chemicals to treat the water.
