Wicked Wednesday – Spring Cleaning, Self-Care Edition

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By Liz, thinking that a nice hot sauna would be a good way to combat this cold weather, speaking of self-care…

Wickeds, happy Wednesday! I know self-care is overused these days and can mean a myriad of things. I like to think of it as anything that helps our body, mind or soul cope with the world – whether it’s the general “world” or our own little worlds.

I really do love a good sauna, but I also meditate on the regular, see a chiropractor and try to stay off my phone after nine p.m. At this time of year, I like to reevalute my routines and see what I need to change up.

Also, I really need to get back to yoga.

So Wickeds, I want to know what self-care means to you, and what your favorite self-care practices are.

Edith/Maddie: My standing desk is part of my self-care, even if that sounds odd. It keeps me out of a chair, lets me exercise all kinds of stability poses, and keeps me upright. Also for self-care, I walk over ten thousand steps a day, preferably outdoors, and I take a wonderful balance/gentle yoga class twice a week. I also join fellow Quakers in an hour of quiet seeking on Sunday mornings. Beyond the spiritual side, I also find so much caring in that community.

Julie: Edith, your step routine inspires. I try to get 6000 a day, with varying degrees of success. My self-care these days mostly entails trying to get enough sleep, and drink a ton of water in addition to weight bearing exercises and walking. I’m also trying to connect with folks more regularly, preferably in person. I’ll add more, but for now that’s enough for my full plate.

Barb: When I was younger and had kids at home, a big job, a dog, a house, etc. people would sometimes ask me, “What do you do for yourself?” The question truly baffled me. I do it all for myself. Every bit of it. Who the heck else would I be doing it for? If there were days when it felt like everyone was depending on me–my kids, our employees, our customers, our investors, the dog– it was as a result of decisions I had made. Decisions I was lucky to have been offered and was lucky to be in a position to make. So here is what I did for self-care. I never voluntarily had a houseplant. I didn’t want one more thing in my life that required nurturing. (Some misguided folks occasionally gifted me with houseplants. I’ll spare you the descriptions of the carnage that ensued.) That’s my self-care routine. No houseplants.

Sherry: I love that, Barb–especially because I’m a fellow killer of houseplants. I managed to kill bamboo and all you have to do is set it in water. My current self care is saying I need a nap or I need some time alone. It works wonders.

Readers, what are you doing for self-care these days? Tell us in the comments – maybe we’ll get some good ideas!

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Published by Cate Conte / Liz Mugavero

Cate Conte writes the Cat Cafe Mysteries and the Full Moon Mysteries. As Liz Mugavero, she writes the Pawsitively Organic Mysteries, the first of which was an Agatha Award nominee for Best First Novel. She lives in the Boston area with her rescue pals.

8 Thoughts

  1. Like Edith and Julie, I’m a walker – I aim for 7500 steps or 3 miles a day. In the winter, I follow youtube Walk at Home videos and, in the warmer weather, I prefer to walk outside. I have an elliptical, too, but it doesn’t get used much lol! Plus yoga twice a week. And outside gardening as much as possible!

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  2. For me, it’s just going outside. Love sitting on my porch and being still and quiet to observe nature. It can be the trees leafing out or the arrive of the first hummer we saw yesterday. It reminds me to slow down and as the saying goes “smell the roses” because it’s often the little things that make us smile and forget the big problems of life. Planting flowers with the prospect of what’s to come is good for me too.
    2clowns at arkansas dot net

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  3. My early morning time is mostly non- negotiable. I meditate, read, sip tea out a semi lighted room and allow the morning to break open. I aspire to walk more, in spite of my challenges, and I am in awe of both Julie’s and Edith’s step goals.

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  4. Sherry and Barb – I’m with you on the no houseplants thing. I love the concept, but I kill them all – eventually.

    At the beginning of the month, I started exercising every weekday. Just 20 minutes a day, but something. So far, so good.

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  5. Now that I’m emerging from my winter cocoon I’m looking forward to outdoor hiking. I also want to add back in a daily morning exercise plan – I had done one for a few years, but stopped when a shoulder issue intervened. Well, that was TWO years ago – think it might be time to get back to it.

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  6. I’m trying to get back to exercising more in hopes of losing some weight I desperately need to lose. Walking on days I don’t run and doing other exercises. We’ll see how it works out for me.

    I’m with Barbara and Sherry on the house plants. I’m in the process of killing a cactus.

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  7. Once a month I get a massage, and a DIY facial at a high-end cosmetics store. I have a very short, but effective meditation/gratefulness session every morning that sets me up for the day. I make an effort to eat wisely tho’ I’m not always successful. I’m not an exerciser, but I do make sure to move a lot each day. Not too shabby for an old eccentric.

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  8. My self-care is cleaning out closets, etc to keep my home and life as simple as possible. It relieves so much stress. That and my bi-monthly self pedicure. aprilbluetx at yahoo dot com

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