Well, it has been a doozy of a week over here. I spent several days in bed, feeling really under the weather. We went to the gastro and she ordered some tests and a scan to find out what is going on with my ulcerative colitis. It was pretty mild before that, but the last week it was bad enough that I couldn’t function. Fingers crossed that it isn’t too bad and I can get back to my baseline quickly.

Mom is doing well, stubborn as always, but was so helpful when I was sick. She kept bringing me tea and trying to entice me to eat, but I had nausea and no appetite, so it’s hard to force anything down. Luckily, I found a strain of sativa that actually does make me hungry, so I’ve been using that to ensure that I can have at least one balanced meal in a day. 

Obviously, my experience this week influenced my choice of topic, because I want to talk about self-care. American society seems to always be on the go, working, having a side hustle, and packing as much into our days as possible, while not everyone is accepting of the challenges of being a disabled person in America. I’m not sure what it is like in other countries, because I haven’t spent enough time in other countries. But I do think that some places have more of an emphasis on self-care. 

Learning how to practice self-care regularly is an ongoing journey for me. Before I became chronically ill, I used to spend time with friends, go to festivals and concerts, and was always down for a spur-of-the-moment outing. But once I developed autoimmune diseases, I had to really work to find out how to ensure that I was practicing self-care. Some days are better than others, but if I don’t practice self-care, I tend to overdo it and find myself bedridden and hurting more. It’s kind of like having my body force me to practice self-care. If I don’t, I find myself burnt out.

Self-care is an ongoing journey. I have to practice it regularly, even if it is something like taking a shower, preparing a healthy meal, or resting when my body tells me it is time. This is a unique journey for everyone, and self-care depends on the person practicing it, and learning what works for us. There are myriad ways to unwind and take care of yourself, and I’m always on the lookout for some new techniques to try. I have discovered that some techniques work well for me, while others aren’t a good fit for me. Some things that I’ve found as good self-care include:

• Getting enough rest.
• Eating healthy, balanced meals.
• Showering.
• Meditating.
• Talking to or spending time with a good friend or family member.
• Taking all my medication.
• Listening to my body.
• Rocking out to my favorite songs. 
• Naps.
• Journaling.
• Exercising.
• Reading.

What kind of self-care techniques do you practice?