Article • May 02, 2016
Self Care… Why Care?
Extending care to others usually comes easily to most people. But we can run ourselves ragged if ALL we do is care for others. By Heather Bryant, M.Ed., Director of Innovation and Impact
Although the 24 hour news cycles would have us believe otherwise, people are wired for compassion. In our lives, we all are called to care for others to varying degrees. We have children, elderly parents, students, clients, and friends that we are connected to and who need us. We are givers! And so extending care to others usually comes easily to most people. But we can run ourselves ragged if ALL we do is care for others. We have to cultivate a balance of care.
I love this graphic from the Mind and Life Institute and their Call to Care program.
Their model is based on the premise that the three modes of care: Extending Care, Receiving Care and Cultivating Self-Care are all interdependent. If we are unable to receive care, and cultivate our own self-care, we won’t be effective at extending care to the people who need us.
This idea was definitely a wake-up call for me. It encourages me to ask for and get help from others when I need it (not easy for me but I’m working on it!) and to intentionally find new and creative ways to care for myself. My motivation is that I want to be the best possible version of myself when others need me.
Take a moment and think about your own situation. Is there a type of care that is out of balance for you? What are some steps you can take to create more of a balance? We’ve got some ideas to share. Stay tuned!
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