The importance of self-care

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 09/11/2021 (574 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

One of the things I’ve learned in the past 18 months of pandemic life is the importance of taking time for yourself. Of course, everyone wants to make sure their family and friends are as happy and healthy as possible.

But I’ve come to realize there is a good reason why when you travel on an airplane the instructions are to put on your own oxygen mask first before assisting others — if you are not taking care of yourself, then you won’t be in a position to take care of others.

Self care is important not only for your own mental health but it has the added benefit of keeping you strong and healthy for others who depend on you.

One of the ways in which I like to practise self care is through meditation. There are some really good YouTube channels on which you can find a meditation that suits your mood — whether it’s for relaxation, reducing anxiety, increasing creativity, or simply to help you fall asleep.

I keep a number of meditations on my phone, ranging from short, five-minute ones for mindfulness to hour-long ones to aid in sleeping. My favourites are the guided visualizations which take me on ‘journeys’ using my imagination — it’s like getting a mini-vacation from all the daily stressors.

Another way that I’ve been working on taking care of myself is by jogging. For me, this has been no small feat. Even as a fairly athletic child involved in sports, I always lacked endurance. I was the fastest kid to run 100 metres but couldn’t even make it once around the track without having to stop to catch my breath.

This year I decided I would give running a serious try by following the Just Run app that’s free to download. Not only did I complete all nine weeks of the program, but I’m now currently on week five of the five to 10-kilometre stage. On my most recent run, I actually went almost 12 kilometres.

Sure, it took over an hour and a half because I’m not very fast, but it was wonderful experience to have that time to myself and enjoy being outside on a beautiful autumn day while running along various trails and parks in my neighbourhood.

Whether you have five minutes or five hours, self care is important. What will you do for yourself today?

Heather Innis is a community correspondent for Windsor Park. You can contact her at htiede@gmail.com

Heather Innis
Windsor Park community correspondent

Heather Innis is a community correspondent for Windsor Park.

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