Get ready. Get set. Grow. Grow Grow. Last year was practice time, and it was real cute. This year, I can feel your energy from here, you are in full and complete go mode to get new goals and new visions for yourself. I can sense it through the screen. And that is all good. We can’t wait to see dreams and blessing unfold for you. Yet, even in the midst of money making, bag chasing, and goal getting, life can get somber, weariness can run a muck, and our peace can get off kilter. Maybe that’s the case for you. If it is keep reading, for today, I’ll be sharing 9 Self-Care Habits to Promote Peace in the Midsts of Productivity
self-care | the practice of taking an active role in protecting one’s own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress
Google Definitions
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my story.
Some seasons are more full than others in that they require more of me. I’ll be frank. Right now in particular, I have applications to complete, a standardized test to prepare for, a wedding to plan, a blog to run, and still a family to love and look after. While all of these things are great and exciting, the feeling of overwhelm does not dissipate. Even though its all good, stress still follows. Reminding us that just because things are great, does not guarantee they are easy, but I digress. After stress, comes lack of focus, fatigue, and possibly a whole shut down, if I’m not too careful.
Don’t get me wrong, while I sometimes get overwhelmed, I love it all. I love going for my dreams and visions, I love having my time filled with tasks that will propel my future. Ambition is ongoing in my book, and if you are reading this, I’m sure it’s the case for you as well. Yet, as I stated before, the gains do not remove the pain, or cause the low moments to stop. Bouts with doubt still occur. More often, the fast and eager trek to burn-out can come in hot.
As a result, I get anxious, and sometimes I have trouble sleeping. I noticed, however, these things occur because in the midst of my goal getting, I forget to think about me. I’ll do all this running, running, get the bag, running, but don’t leave any space on my plate to care for my own needs.
Not this time. Not this year.
break it down, B:
Productivity is great. Getting things done is great. Taking care of the things and the people we love is great, but that does not mean it is easy. The greatness does not mean we don’t have needs too. First of all, I want to tell you, it’s possible to be blessed and stressed at the same time. Great things do come with great responsibility.(Colossians 3:23-24) It’s okay to have your concerns and feels as it relate to the load you carry.
The good news is, the power lives in the who you carry it for. The good news is, the power is in how you handle the load. In other words, you have the power to determine how your load looks on you. You can choose to carry it with self-care and wellness in mind. You may choose to carry it with grace and gratitude. The choice is yours, but rest assured we all have our loads to bare, and the feeling of overwhelm that could lead to burnout is common amongst us all. For that reason, below, I’m sharing 9 Self-Care habits to promote peace in the midsts of productivity.
9 Self-Care Habits to Promote Peace in the Midsts of Productivity
- Practice Forgiveness. Whoa whoa. What does forgiveness have to do with self-care? Everything honey. Everything. Forgiving others is how you lift weight off of your heart. With a light heart, comes more gratefulness and more love.This particular forgiveness habit, however, is more about you. Practice the habit of forgiving yourself. Maybe you couldn’t meet that deadline. Perhaps, you needed to take a break instead. It’s okay. Enjoy your life by practicing the things that bring you peace and clarity. Then, forgive yourself if need be.
- Give yourself some grace. How often to we practice the benefit of the doubt with others? How often do we extend understanding to others? Do yourself a favor and extend the same courtesy to yourself. We don’t always get it right, nor are we machines. We have feelings. Sometimes we get mad, and sometimes we ought to go off about it. That said you might not have the energy to attend that event, or deal with a problem in the best manner, and that is okay. Give yourself the courtesy of understanding followed by new opportunities to do better next time, if and only if it pleases you.
- Be Patient. Let me tell you. God has been working on be about this one for the longest. I used to be the most impatient person there was, but I had to learn the virtue. Patience is a real virtue after all. Nonetheless, being patient with yourself, your loved ones, certain situations, or even your desired outcomes will yield more space for peace, and less space for anxiety.
- When feeling overwhelmed consider the grand scheme of life. I can’t tell you how many times I calm myself right back down when I think of the great grand scheme of how God set up this natural world. Honey, the birds chirp, the air is crisp, and everything operates according to its purpose. The world, the universe, and God’s plan is bigger than me–than us–than that situation that may tip us over on the way to burnout. Yet, when we consider the grand scheme of life, our priorities are reshaped, and we can remember, it’s all going to be alright.
- Remember everything falls into place. Can you think of a time everything didn’t fall into its place? Perhaps, something did not pan out the way you wanted, but what God gave you in its place was far better than what you dreamed of. God is good like that. He gives us what we need, sometimes in place of what we want, and his plan is way better, but I digress. The point I’m making here, is everything always falls into place. When we remember this fact, we make space for peace and calm in our busy seasons.
- Eliminate overthinking. Overthinking can really be our biggest pitfall if we allow it. If you are like me, you can think of 3 different outcomes for 2 different situations and then think about the possibilities associated with those outcomes. It’s a lot. Our minds are powerful. Yet, have you considered the fact that overthinking really does not help us show up as our best selves? In fact, the only thing it really does is add more stress to our already full seasons. Practice self-care, by working on eliminating habit of overthinking.
- Put you on your to-do list. This is something we typically just don’t do. Sure we’ll get our mani-pedis here and there. We’ll even get some air here or there. This may or may not be consistent. Furthermore, this habit may or may not be an afterthought. I challenge you to make yourself a before thought. The world will still spin, if you spend more time taking care of you. After all, you can’t achieve if you are drained.
- Practice breathing. This is probably my favorite habit. Back when we were in the actual classroom, I’d have to do this quite often. Teaching is overwhelming in itself, as I am sure your job is as well. Yet, when I do feel myself becoming frustrated, I stop right where I am and take a few deep breaths. Sis, afterwards, I’m back to new. Call it meditating, call it clearing your mind, call it yoga, call it what you need, but don’t forget to breathe. That air filling in your lungs will reignite you quickly. While you are at it, you could even call in what you need to inhale and call out what you need to exhale. For example, say as you are breathing, “I breathe in peace and love. I exhale frustration and worry.” It works every time.
- Find love in everything. Okay. Okay. You got me. This is my favorite. When I used to leave work, I’d be totally frustrated, but there was a time I didn’t even have windows in my work space. Something hit different, however, when I went outside. The fresh air would graze my face, the sun would be shining, the trees would dance, and I recognized the love in all of it. I said that to say, in the midst of your productivity, or your busy season, instead of worrying or working your way to overwhelm, consider noticing the love–the beauty in everything. Consider the beauty and love in nature, this world, your life, your body, your relationship, your workplace. The list can go on, but the fact remains there is beauty and love in everything, if you seek it. And when you do, peace will find its way to you.
sum it up.
You got this! Take this year for everything you desire. Let your ambitions lead you to your dreams, but do not, and I repeat do not forget to take care of you. Embed these 9 Self-Care Habits to Promote Peace in the Midsts of Productivity within, and you’ll see peace, joy, and gratitude even in the midst of what could be considered an overwhelming season.
facts.
- You can’t pour from an empty cup.
- They say it takes 21 days to form a habit.
- There is beauty and love all around you.
quotes to carry.
Nothing good can grow if you don’t nourish your own soil.
Elaine Welteroth, from More than Enough
journal prompt.
Free write about how you practice self-care. How can your self-care habits be improved? Where do they shine?
comment below.
Tell us which self-care habit discussed resonated with you the most and why.
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