I am TERRIBLE at self-care. As a coach, this is something of a “secret shame” (although not so secret after this!), as I feel like I KNOW the importance of self-care and therefore should be an expert at it. The truth is, the reality is FAR from that. For many years, my version of self-care was vegging out in front of the TV with some type of edible treat. And while I’m not saying you CAN’T do that, I know for me, it was never REALLY about self-care. And the reason I know this is because, while it may have been pleasurable in the moment, it didn’t do much of anything to feed my SOUL, nurture me, or help me grow. Ultimately, at least for me, self-care MUST be comprised of healthy supportive habits that help to get me closer to, not further away from, my goals.
About 4 months ago, I discovered PowerSheets, an intentional goal planner that I have been using to craft ongoing goals that can be monthly, weekly, or daily. In a lot of ways, it has made me more productive. In even more ways, it has helped me to see myself more clearly…including the areas of growth that I have been neglecting. It’s amazing what you learn about yourself when you see empty check boxes left unchecked…or look at goals that you have set for yourself and think “ugh.”
So today I am confessing to you that I am terrible at self-care. Even in my goal-setting, despite my best efforts, I tend to focus on what I “should” do rather than what I WANT to do or what I NEED to do to grow. So as I prepare to do my seasonal goal refresh today, revisiting what I want to accomplish over the next 3 months and setting my monthly/weekly/daily goals for September, I am going to focus on GROWTH. What things are going to help me grow into a better version of myself? In what ways can I stretch myself? What can I put into place to support me as I do? THAT is what self-care is for me. So now, I will focus on what that needs to look like in MY life.
How about you, what are YOUR self-care goals for September? I’d love to hear what you are doing to transition to the best version of yourself and how you will care for yourself in that process. Send me an email at Becky@highergoodcoaching.com to tell me what your September goals are. Perhaps I can help you achieve them!
