Bonus Episode 5 – Self-care in the quarantine

Welcome to the Mentor 4 Moms Podcast!

On this episode:

I hope that you have found these bonus conversations helpful and that you are feeling encouraged and not so alone in the midst of these times. I find it a delight to be able to record these episodes. I love knowing I’m a small part of helping you reestablish your footing and move forward at your own pace.

Today, our conversation is around self-care in the midst of quarantine. First, let’s talk about what self-care looks like here. For us self-care is loving and caring for yourself and your needs in the same way that you love and care for others. As we’ve discussed in the past, it’s not me last or me never, but me, too. What does that look like in the midst of this high intensity time of caring for others.

One thing we have is more time with our people and ourselves. What condition are we finding our homes and our hearts in. What do you need to pay attention to right now? If you are already able to identify some of your past coping mechanisms, which ones are no longer serving you and how do you want to move forward in coping with times of change. How can you make intentional decisions around how you want to handle that?

We are in a time where change keeps happening. If we’re going to be in the midst of constant change, how can we establish a sense of care and honor the needs we have – emotionally, physically, and spiritually – as well as caring for the needs of the people we’re responsible for. We don’t know what’s to come. None of us do. And yet, we can make a plan and hold it loosely.

I don’t know what is to come. I do know this. God is faithful. He is steady and in control. He can be trusted. His character is flawless. His track record is solid. I believe there’s an opportunity for you, too, even in the midst of this change. I want to encourage you to make space for that.

It is a healthy and beautiful thing to do. It may look like different things each day, but there are ways in which you are including yourself on the list. You’re not burning the candle at both ends trying to outrun the disasters all around. You give yourself permission to exhale.

Know that around the globe, there are women feeling the same way. We can make space to ensure that we’re healthy – emotionally, physically, and spiritually – so we have the stamina to face another day. Lest you think this is a luxury, something just “when you have time,” we do this because it’s integral for us to be at our best to care for others.

It’s very challenging to be kind and have a listening ear when we’re exhausted, hungry, or overwhelmed. When we give ourselves the space to care for our needs, we can deal with those things and that puts us in a better place to do what we need to do in caring for others. When we’re running on empty it’s very difficult to do that and we end up doing things we regret.

This is about keeping yourself at your best so you can love and serve those around. It’s not about indulgence or selfishness. It’s about keeping yourself healthy and strong. We are on the front lines of caring for our families and they need us at our best. We’re going to do the best we can with what we have and trust God with the rest.

What do you need to pay attention to? What do you need to let go of? What do you need to begin? Journal on those. Think through those things and come up with your self-care plan. We need you. Your family needs you. You matter.