Self Care

By Ann McCarty

Taking care of myself is not always, if ever, at the top of my to do list.  When it does make its way to the top of the list It very quickly gets bumped to the bottom, and sometimes, if I am being completely honest,  more often than not, I am completely off the list.  There always seems to be so many other things that seem more important.  Laundry, grocery shopping, meetings, helping a friend, all things that take priority and bump me to the bottom, or off of the list.  None of those things are bad, or less important.  In fact, they really are the essence of who I am. Prioritizing my to do list has always been a struggle for me.  Caring for others is something that comes easy and natural  and brings me great joy.  However, the older I get I realize that putting myself behind everyone and everything, has left me perpetually,  the lowest on the list.

Since joining the team at Chesacanna, there is a new awareness to wellness and selfcare. I am surrounded by people who have chosen to gently and passionately embrace and care for themselves.   The Wellness shop at Chesacanna is full of resources and products. There is wide variety of CBD products that can be used in so many different ways. I am learning that just a few drops a day can really have a positive affect o the mind and body. The staff in the wellness shop have always been patient and informative with all of my questions. I have really enjoyed experimenting with some of the products. Incorporating those products into my daily routine has been the first step in taking a little more time for myself. 

Another gentle change that I have recently adopted is investing in rest. I have never made it a priority to have a regular bedtime.  It may be a subconscious rebelling that possibly goes back to childhood.  The childlike determination to stay up late.  But for what? I used to feel like that was “my time”.  Making the conscious choice to go to bed earlier has really made a difference for me.  Allowing myself the luxury of letting go of the day and quieting my mind a little earlier has given me a better night sleep all together.  It is slowly changing my sleep patterns. I find myself waking earlier.  I have found the quiet of the morning has become a welcome change for me. Having this time in the morning to ease into the day and really be intentional about what I have on my “to do list” has really helped create a sense of calm that has been really refreshing for me. 

For so many years I have looked at the idea of selfcare as a luxury I couldn’t afford.  I would very quickly become overwhelmed with what changes I needed to implement that would make the most impact. I would then proceed to do nothing.  Making these small changes has really made a difference in my overall wellbeing.  This new awareness to the little things that I can do has caused me to realize that putting myself first really is important and not that difficult to begin implementing after all.