Start with one small thing for your self care

Written by: Dianne Edmonds Posted on 16 Jun 2016 0

Reading a recent e newsletter from author Lisa Grace Byrne this week was a reminder of how the small scale things can make a difference, when we focus on what we can do, not on what we cannot do. Lisa used the Starfish Story to put this into context.
 
Remember that story about the little boy on the beach throwing back the starfish that had been left behind on the sand when the tide retreated back into the ocean?
An old man walked up to him and scolded him saying, “What are you doing? You’re wasting your time trying to make a difference. There are thousands of starfish here, there’s no way you can save them all.”
The little boy looked back at the man, picked up a starfish, tossed it into the water and said, “I made a difference to that one.”
 
Lisa is the author of the book for mums called Replenish. She talks about the levels of self care that we can add into our day, but knowing that we can’t do all of the things we would like to do, she encourages starting with one thing at a time. This is like putting in one fence post and getting that one fence post in place, before adding more things.
 
Lisa uncovers in Replenish what she calls the 7 core essentials of well-being that need to be nurtured in order to live and mother with greater calm, clarity and vitality in the world.
 
One of the 7 Core Essentials is Joyful Movement and she has 3 steps in this chapter:

  1. Start where you are interested – connect with moving your body in ways that interest you.
  2. Start Where You Are – keep your initial commitments simple  and
  3. Keep it simple – “The simplest ways to move and love your body are often the most healing.”
 
Start with small steps and build these into your day, then add another fence post when you are ready. Over time you will build the fence – symbolising rebuilding your new levels of self care as a mother.
 
Another area Lisa talks about as a Core Essential is a Nourished Body. There are so many areas within this that it can become overwhelming. Choose one thing that you can do to start with and build from this.
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Some days getting enough to drink can be difficult for new mums so if for you it is to focus on improving your hydration, then find small ways to make this easier for you.   
Putting a jug on the bench flavoured with lemon or iced tea or filling up your water bottles in advance is one way to help reach this goal and restore your level of hydration. Asking your husband/partner/friend to do this for you can help.
 
Lisa knows how it can be to feel overwhelmed by the many tasks of motherhood and has herself come out of that experience to help many other women in her work with Well Grounded Life. To learn more from Lisa visit www.WellGroundedLife.com
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