May Self-Care Challenge

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  • urloved33
    urloved33 Posts: 3,323 Member
    I am exercising self care today w focus on my exercise. got up early and walked this morning. it felt great and really supports me in taking better care of myself through the day.
  • twyla77
    twyla77 Posts: 445 Member
    JulieAL1969 wrote: »
    Not a lot of time today for self care. But put lotion on my feet before bed and meditated as I was falling asleep.

    Putting lotion on my feet before bed is seriously one of my favourite things! Doesn't take a lot of time, but for some reason it makes me so happy!
  • Lora2380
    Lora2380 Posts: 195 Member
    I bought myself some flowers today :smile:
  • Idontcareyoupick
    Idontcareyoupick Posts: 2,854 Member
    Gonna do my favorite Zumba class and hopefully get chocolate and a bath today
  • Idontcareyoupick
    Idontcareyoupick Posts: 2,854 Member
    twyla77 wrote: »
    Did something I've been wanting to do for weeks, but finally worked up the nerve to do. A few weeks ago I joined a soccer team - I've never played soccer in my life, but my coworker said it was fun, so I was like "why not!" and paid the fees to join the team. Turns out I hate soccer. I played 3 games, and could NOT BEAR THE THOUGHT of 6 more weeks of it - I dreaded each upcoming game all week, then stressed out while I was there because the other players are all so good and I was more detrimental to the team than helpful. I was taught to stick things out even if I don't like them because it's not good to "let people down", but then I thought "why am i making myself a grumpy stressed out person over an activity that is supposed to be fun?" so I quit! I gave a lot of notice before the next game, and supplied a list of subs that can take my place, and they still have my money which they can keep of course - as soon as I sent the email I felt a million pounds lighter!

    Nice! Always good when you can say no to something you really don't want to do
  • pembersep
    pembersep Posts: 31 Member
    Day 2 for me: I can't think of anything. I may have to go back and re-read this thread and update later. Coming home from work, I sometimes get that "freedom" feeling, like I can do anything at all now, anything from selling all of my belongings and flying to a remote island or playing a video game or lurking on MFP or finishing a crossword and what's left is indecision. There are too many choices.

    I'm trying to frame my usual downtime activities as self-care but would rather choose something distinctly self-nurturing, so that it's a true challenge as per the thread. Am I making this too difficult? Yes. What can I say; I like my homework to be hard.
  • pembersep
    pembersep Posts: 31 Member
    I should add, about liking homework to be difficult: I'm mostly speaking tongue-in-cheek! Regardless, self-care is a true challenge and thank you very much for participating in it with me. I haven't had a chance to thank everyone individually, but please know your ideas are really sticking with me (I'm grateful to all of you).
  • RubyRed427
    RubyRed427 Posts: 4,374 Member
    Painting my nails right now and relaxing. Xo
  • ElizabethAN2017
    ElizabethAN2017 Posts: 565 Member
    Had a nap around dinnertime. Felt much better afterwards :)
  • sd99
    sd99 Posts: 9 Member
    I am very late to the party but have to say I love this thread! Great for me as when I am left to my own devices I snack on rubbish. This thread is great for ideas of things I can do instead that actually make me feel good about myself!
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    edited May 2018
    rheddmobile wrote: »
    I ran day before yesterday and did a proper legs day with weights yesterday, for the first time since my knee injury, and today my knee is not sore or swollen! Woo hoo! So now my goal is to have faith in the future and not borrow trouble - I keep freaking out, thinking "It's too good to be true, it won't last, if you let yourself be happy now you'll just be disappointed later." Well, maybe so. But I am happy and my knee doesn't hurt NOW, whatever may happen later. I also really love what lifting weights does for my blood glucose readings - I've had great levels all day.

    Great news about your knee!
    rheddmobile wrote: »
    I also did a small thing which will make my life better in the future - I bought a set of ring sizers! I love buying vintage costume jewelry online but had no idea how big my fingers were after weight loss, so no rings. It's funny how sometimes I let myself put up with small annoyances for months, when they could be fixed easily with a moment's thought. Lately I've been trying to catch myself whenever I feel annoyed by something and ask, "What would fix this problem so it doesn't happen anymore?"

    Hahaha, yes, I've noticed myself doing that too. Perceptive, @rheddmobile !

    I sense it gets annoying when I try to solve things for others when they react in a way that makes me think they'd rather just moan about it. :smiley:
  • pembersep
    pembersep Posts: 31 Member
    rheddmobile wrote: »
    I'm sitting in the garden right now. It smells so good! I have honeysuckle on the fence, roses, and a flowering locust tree. I don't encourage locust trees because they propagate by root and break easily in strong winds, and this one grew without my permission, but it smells delicious! My neighbor has irises which I can also smell. The robin which is the parent of the baby responsible for the eggshell I found yesterday is up in the sycamore tree I found the egg under, singing. I can't see the nest because the leaves are too full. There is a red headed finch on the feeder right now, two collared doves and a brown headed cowbird underneath, and a squirrel in the tree trying to figure out how to get down to the feeder without me noticing.

    I learned something yesterday! Learning new things is my favorite form of self care. I was outside watching birds and squirrels when a feral cat tried to get one of the squirrels, which ran up the tree and started barking in alarm. I was surprised to see various birds of many species come from the surrounding neighborhood to sit in the same tree and listen, as if they could understand the warning calls. And none of the birds seemed concerned about me, even though I was only a few feet away. So I looked up what is known about squirrel communication, and it's known that squirrels and birds do communicate across species, and their calls are specific to what the threat is. Researchers know enough "squirrel language" to identify the warning call for a threat from the air, such as a hawk, versus a threat from the ground, such as a cat. My guess, based on my own observation, is that the calls seem to be specific enough that the birds knew the squirrel was warning about a cat and not a person, as well. Pretty cool that birds and mammals can "talk" to each other!

    I forgot to say the other day, @rheddmobile, that this post is the one that brought me out of lurkdom. Thank you for this lovely, detailed explanation of your garden's sounds, smells, and events, and thank you for this funny cross-species communication discussion. I never knew that about birds and squirrels! And, I also love learning more than anything. Learning is my hobby. I can't wait to hear your future observations, and may your healing go smoothly.
  • pembersep
    pembersep Posts: 31 Member
    My update: yesterday I couldn't think of anything, so I royally failed at the challenge.

    Today, inspired by @rheddmobile and also by @JulieAL1969, who said she took her earbuds out to listen to birds, I went on a birdwatching jog-walk with a close friend. We saw a great blue heron, Canadian geese, and many duck families, including baby ducks. We listened to redwing blackbirds' mating calls.
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    pembersep wrote: »
    My update: yesterday I couldn't think of anything, so I royally failed at the challenge.

    Today, inspired by @rheddmobile and also by @JulieAL1969, who said she took her earbuds out to listen to birds, I went on a birdwatching jog-walk with a close friend. We saw a great blue heron, Canadian geese, and many duck families, including baby ducks. We listened to redwing blackbirds' mating calls.

    I love herons, they are my favorite bird. I'm glad my post was helpful to you!

    Right now I am just listening to the rain.
  • pembersep
    pembersep Posts: 31 Member
    rheddmobile wrote: »
    I love herons, they are my favorite bird. I'm glad my post was helpful to you!

    Right now I am just listening to the rain.

    Thanks for saying so! Your love of herons (I'm not sure what my favorite bird is yet) has inspired me to look them up, to see whether or not they're endangered. The great blue heron isn't endangered, I learned, but many other herons are. On a side note, I am drawn to the list of extinct animals, including birds, and especially the moa, since my trip to New Zealand a few years ago. So that it's not too off-topic, I will echo your thought that learning is self-care. Heal well, and now to figure out tomorrow's form of self-care....
  • RubyRed427
    RubyRed427 Posts: 4,374 Member
    edited May 2018
    Will take a hot shower to wash off the stress of the work day. My ears are ringing slightly. My nerves are overloaded. Then, I'll meditate as usual. And read a book.
    @pembersep Wow - you heard a lot of unique birds. I do love blue herons.
    @rheddmobile My fav too.
  • MadisonMolly2017
    MadisonMolly2017 Posts: 11,152 Member
    Herons are a favorite of mine, too!

    May 24:
    My self-care today was nutrition (made a tuna-avocado-red pepper-onion spread w/ a touch of balsamic & mustard and some spices) & ate it with baby carrots. Never would I have thought I’d even come up with that idea or even like it.

    Also lots of movement & lots of water. It’s what I needed to re-set after 2-1/2 busy & stressful days. Also some sudoku on my phone!
  • conatser9
    conatser9 Posts: 139 Member
    Took a walk across the farm again yesterday afternoon, got 3 miles in.
  • RubyRed427
    RubyRed427 Posts: 4,374 Member
    Will go out with my best girlfriends tonight and enjoy life!
  • MadisonMolly2017
    MadisonMolly2017 Posts: 11,152 Member
    May 25
    Really thought about what would be self-care for me to do. After dinner, I realized a brisk walk was the best thing I could do at the end of a stressful day. It worked. Mood improved as did energy!
  • MadisonMolly2017
    MadisonMolly2017 Posts: 11,152 Member
    May 26
    A lovely day in nature! Simply lovely!

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