Give your self…care

This week, I would like to touch on how self-care, self -love and last week's topic of mental health all work together to create balance. Like a Thanksgiving dinner without the turkey, when I do not work on one, the full effect is not achieved. Taking care of one's mind, body and soul is the key to having the strength to overcome just about anything life throws at you. And since I am recovering from one hell of a curveball, I have been making a conscious effort to give myself what I need right now and it has made all the difference.

I work in the fast-paced and high-stress environment of Residential Property Management. Fire, flood, and blood are not unheard of and you never know what kind of day you are walking into. After my amputation surgery, I had nothing but free time and it was...strange. At first, I felt guilty for Netflix binging on the couch, while my husband brought me meals. But then, I remembered that I had just gone through something traumatic. I had just lost a limb! I deserved to watch every freaking show on Netflix with my foot up.

Read this next part and repeat it aloud, PAMPER YOURSELF. I'm talking face masks, bubble baths, the works. I painted my nails a different color every few days, depending on my mood. I watched many shameless hours worth of skincare videos on youtube and laughed out loud watching "Grace and Frankie" while eating lucky charms in bed. I wrote down my feelings in a journal. Even though it was a mess of scribbles and disorganized thoughts, it didn't matter because it wasn't for anyone but me. And when I got sick of the restless nights I was spending tossing and turning trying to find a comfortable way to sleep through my pain, I tried CBD oil, lavender linen spray, and aromatherapy sleep lotion. It felt so nice to take care of myself and I was finally sleeping again.

Before I knew it, I had a full-blown self-care ritual. Steps that I took every morning when waking up and others I took just before bed. The rituals brought me comfort and reminded me how much I matter. They never felt like a chore, but more like a treat. A treat for my body and consequently my mind and soul. We tell ourselves that there just isn't enough time in the day to care for ourselves. Although I had tons of time during my recovery, I realized that was never the problem. The problem was not having made myself more of a priority before.

I may have to cut out weekday Netflix binges and daily manicures when I go back to work, but I vow not to cut out the rituals that give me peace and make me feel like my best self. Even though it was EXHAUSTING, I went shopping and tried on a million things until I found outfits that made me look and feel like myself while still fitting around my giant test socket. I am still adjusting to what I will look like for the rest of my life but I am also learning to love that person even more. I am stronger and now it shows on the outside, not just on the inside. I am blessed to have a husband, family, and friends who love me to the ends of the earth but it is not enough... the road an amputee "walks" is too rough to rely only on the love of others. I have to love myself enough to stand up and tell the world what I am worth and not fall apart when other’s don’t agree. Love yourself for it is the only self you have!

I hope you feel inspired to find your own self-care ritual. Below, I have shared the products that soothe me and help me create my own personal balance. These products are not sponsored.