There is a lot of misinformation floating around about what self-care is and isn’t. In my new book #areturntopleasure I offer some grounding definitions on how to understand what self-care looks like in your life. And most importantly how to reach for the right tool in times of need.
Being a caregiver to my mother has really opened my eyes and given me a new perspective. When a person is aging and they begin to need more support at home or through nursing/rehab facilities, the biggest factor in gauging their need for help is their ability to complete : Activities For Daily Living. Have you heard of this?
ADL’s or Activities for daily living are necessary tasks each person needs within the day to be able to function at the baseline for stable/healthy/independent living. Here are some of those activities:
⚡️Get into/out of bed or chair.
⚡️Toilet hygiene.
⚡️Bathing or Showering.
⚡️Getting Dressed.
⚡️Personal hygiene.
⚡️Eating.
⚡️Walking / Climbing Stairs.
⚡️Safety /emergency responses.
I am someone who has lived with depression since I was a pre-teen. I’ve navigated various seasons in my life where I couldn’t care for myself. It took me many years to trust the mental healthcare system, find a therapist and appropriate treatment plan to support me experiencing a full life.
Some days the hardest thing is to figure out what to do and how to do my hair. I never take for granted the days when I am giving full glam because I know what the days have looked like when I couldn’t. When following the steps felt like I was carrying the heaviest Boulder on my back and walking up a flight of steep stairs. It felt impossible.
So we have to be mindful of shouting things like “self-care isn’t just baths” because you never know… that might be the only step someone can take that day or the step they needed to soothe the nervous system.
My point is meticulous care of our bodies, our aesthetic is definitely a necessary ADL and also part of the healing power of self-care.
Ready to learn more about prioritizing self-care and pleasure in your life? Head to the link in bio or visit www.themessymovementlab.com to purchase my book “A Return To Pleasure”. Come join me.🌻