Welcome, dear readers, to my first post in an ongoing blog series I’m doing with Breathing Spaces: Compassionate Conversations. I’m Cindy Gum, and it warms my heart to embark on this year’s journey of self-discovery and emotional care with each of you.
Before we delve into the theme of emotional self-care, let me share a personal moment. This morning when I began my journaling practice, I paused as I often do, but noticed how nurtured I felt as I sipped a quiet cup of coffee and it reminded me of the power within simple acts of self-care.
It reminded me of a quote by Louisa May Alcott: “The power of finding beauty in the humblest things makes home happy and life lovely.”
This year I will focus upon the vital practice of emotional self-care. In the intricate dance of life’s demands, self-care is the gentle reminder to prioritize our well-being. And It’s the compassionate dialogue we foster within ourselves that helps us navigate the ups and downs, the ebb and flow, of our emotional well-being.
Compassionate conversations are meant to help you look within yourself for kindness. Whether you simply think about it, or talk about it with a buddy, or write about it in your journal, my hope is that it helps you in some to hold a compassionate conversation within yourself. To me, the definition of self-compassion is kindness turned inward.
Inquiries
- Notice and name small acts of self-care.
- Can you claim them as your own – perhaps adding a few more into your daily routine?
Insights
- In my own journey, I’ve realized that emotional self-care is not indulgence; it’s a courageous act of self-acceptance.
- Each conversation we have with ourselves ripples into all parts of our life. Take a moment to honestly look at your self-talk. Is it kind?
Inspirations
- Here is an inspirational thought from Audrey Lorde, an American writer, professor, philosopher and poet:
“Self-care is not about self-indulgence, it’s about self-preservation.”
**I invite you to share your favorite self-care rituals or insights in the comments below.
A Compassionate Affirmation for the month:
“Today, I choose to honor my well-being. In caring for myself, I nurture the strength to care for others.”
With gratitude and warmth,
Cindy
Note: In addition to joining our blog team as a regular contributor, Cindy hosts the monthly Journaling Journeys compassion circle. We invite you to join us.
What an encouraging and loving reminder of the importance of taking care of ourselves. It is easy to get lost in the daily details of caregiving and this is a
warm and welcome wakeup call.
Much appreciation,
Gail Braverman