If there’s any time in your life when self-care is called for, it’s when going through a Divorce. The process can be absolutely overwhelming, with all the turmoil, emotion, and tremendous levels of stress. So what do most people do to keep themselves well and ease the burdens they’re feeling?
Absolutely nothing.
As Patti Clark says in her blog post Practicing Self-Care, caring for one’s self is often the first thing people let go of during difficult times. It may be that we slip into “flight or fight” mode, so our perspectives narrow and we only focus on the problems at hand. We may also feel guilt about taking the time (and spending the money) to care for ourselves. Or, we may just not have a good go-to list of self-care activities.
To that end, Patti offers a number of simple ways to practice self-care. These include:
- Be present in the moment, focusing on the sights, sounds, and smells around you.
- Do something pleasurable for yourself, like gardening or going out for a nice meal.
- Connect with others, calling up an old friend or even joining a support group.
- Give yourself some spiritual space, practicing gratitude or meditation.
As Patti says in her piece, “Self-care is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation… You are worth it.” Those words were not specific to those going through a Divorce Over 50, but they more than apply.
Click here for the full article, which also includes an interesting Ted Talk Video offering some easy self-care techniques.
