The Space Between

As a lifelong overachiever and eternal optimist, I tend to believe I can defy the laws of nature and heal overnight.  Well, as usual, nature wins.  Some really smart women warned me of the “good day” when I would feel pretty great and then go and do too much which would be followed by the “hit by a truck day(s)”.  Yep.  It’s all true.  They were right.  So, this week I’m in recovery from being a fool as it relates to my post-operative self-care.  I’ve had plenty of time to ponder my personal foolishness as I laid on the couch and binge watched the Kardashians and CSI Miami and of course, most recently, Hoarders (I know, embarrassingly true).  I also had time to think about the critical nature of self-care.

Self-care is about more than taking time for a manicure or a massage.  It’s more than taking a walk with your dog or eating to nourish your body.  It’s about loving and respecting yourself enough to create space for healing, creativity, silence, prayer and fun.  The space between all the commitments and demands of this life—that’s where self-care happens.  It’s the series of choices we make to say yes to ourselves and no to the voices that tell us what we “should” do instead.  I’ll be frank—my life’s lessons are clearly to learn patience and how to create the space between.  It’s a struggle for me.  This recovery period is an excellent teacher.

Self-care protects us from burnout, depression, physical health issues and much more.  It gives us strength to deal with whatever life throws our way.  It contributes to our ability to be creative and to problem solve.  It builds resilience.  My challenge to each of you this week is to create the space between so that you feel alive and are engaged more fully in your life.  You’ll be setting a powerful example for everyone around you.