BALANCING GIVING & SELF-CARE
In a recent podcast episode, Mama Paige and I discussed giving throughout the holidays and beyond. For as long as I can remember, Mama Paige would give away her jewelry and scarves if someone really liked them. I would always think my mom would be willing to give her last to anyone…even the earrings. It was something I admired and started doing myself.
As I grew up and began discussing self-care with Mama Paige, I realized something – my mom never gave away her lastand I shouldn’t either. One of my favorite quotes by Rumi about giving from your “overflow”. Yes, be a giver but, only from your overflow. Don’t just leave enough for yourself, completely fill your well first. Be the best version of yourself for you. Then, give to others from the abundance.
Having Enough to Give
As we are in the giving season, I thought this post would be helpful as a reminder to take self-care into account even when giving. If you don’t have enough to give, it’s ok to dial the giving back in order to take time to fill yourself up.
Not sure if you have enough to give? Here is my three-part checklist:
Get grounded. It’s hard to know what head or spiritual space you are in when you feel like you are all over the place. To start, I ground myself with meditation, focusing on my breath. Then, I do a body scan to release any tension. This helps me to be still and in one place so I can move to the next step- taking inventory.
Take inventory. Now that you’re grounded, it’s time to check-in. See where you are, how you feel and where your mind is. Are you running on fumes or do you have a full cup? Getting an understanding of where you are will not only give you a gauge on what you can give, it will also help identify what you need to fill your cup.
Fill your cup first. It’s time to fill your cup up. Instead of making a shopping list, make a self-care list of practice you can do to fill your cup. Is it something a warm bath and hot tea can solve or maybe a few meditation and yoga sessions? Do you need to go a little deeper and schedule a few therapy sessions? Whatever you need, take care of yourself first.
Filling your well
So, you’ve gone through the checklist and are still not sure where to begin. Here are a few tips for filling your well:
Live in the moment. Meditation is a great way to help you live in the moment. Many believe that meditation is impossible because they can’t clear their thoughts. The good news is, it’s not about clearing your thoughts. All you have to do is breathe. Click here to learn more about meditation.
Start your day off right. Morning routines to start your day and can make all the difference in your flow. According to entreprenuer.com, the first 20 minutes could be the "gateway to your subconscious." So, why not take advantage of that to start your day off right. Click here to see tips about morning routines.
Getting back to center. Sometimes days just suck and nothing seems to go right. Checking in and getting back to center can make all the difference. Click here to see tips on getting back to center.
Allow space to grieve. Grief doesn’t stop just because the holidays have begun. In some cases, grief can feel heavier during this season. Click here to see Mama Paige’s helpful tips for dealing with grief during the holidays.
I hope these tips help you fill your well until it overflows so you can give from your abundance this holiday season. Don’t forget to check out our podcast episode about self-care during the holidays for more inspiration!
If you have recommendations for self-care and giving during the holidays, we would love to hear them. Comment them below or share them on Instagram, @plantbasedslay. Be sure to use #plantbasedslay so we can find your post.
