What Is Self-Care?
This site focuses on the intentionality of self-care to help create balance, establish boundaries, restore or maintain a sense of well-being to avoid the dangers of stress and burnout. I hope you will be blessed and live well.
My personal definition of self-care is stewardship of your mind, body, and spirit that applies to all areas of brokenness to create total well-being and a sense of connectedness. In the caring professions, the danger of compassion fatigue, stress and burnout is real if you do not strike a balance.
Especially in ministry, the constant doing of counseling, caring, visiting the sick and shut-in, attending to the wounded, the marginalized and disenfranchised, combined with teaching and preaching can be draining and contribute to isolation. There is a great need to encourage yourself through self-care. The overriding goals of self-care are developing coping skills, which result in sustainability and holistic wellness to create greater effectiveness in the workplace and in relating to colleagues, family members, and friends.
Jesus is the perfect model of self-care (Mark 1:35). Often, Jesus took time to retreat to a quiet place for rest and renewal after a long day of ministering. Before we can care for others, we must first care for ourselves. On airplane, the flight crew prepares the passengers for takeoff by instructing them that in the event of low cabinet pressure, an oxygen mask will drop down. First put your oxygen mask on then you may assist others. Well, that is a great metaphor for self-care.
I invite you to put on your mask, buckle your seat belt, securely store your personal belongings and prepare for takeoff. You may encounter some turbulence but remain securely seated with your seat belt on. Now let’s go to a quiet place where you can slow down to a sacred pace and find peace, tranquility and rest. That place is called self-care. Allow me to help you help yourself!
To arrange an appointment, or schedule counseling, workshops, or a retreat refer to the contact us page for a list of services. Now take a deep breath, exhale and begin the process of self-care. Take care with self-care.
But so many people were coming and going that Jesus and the apostles did not even have a chance to eat. Then Jesus said, “Let’s go to a place where we can be alone and get some rest.” Mark 6: 31 (CEV)
Revdiva’s Tips for Self-Care
- Spend quiet time daily with the Lord.
- Have a day of Sabbath on a weekly basis.
- Take time for recreation (i.e., enjoy a spa day, personal day or movie night) and enjoy hobbies that are stress reducers.
- Exercise – walk, jog, take an aqua-aerobic class, weight train, yoga, or try Wii Fit to strengthen your heart and promote a healthy lifestyle.
- Pray daily and keep a journal of your prayer requests and answered prayers.
- Fast and pray with an accountability prayer at least once a week.
- Join a prayer group, Bible study, book club, or networking group.
- Attend retreats that offer some unstructured time for relaxation.
- Join a support group.
- Schedule free time on your calendar to do nothing!
- Get a massage, facial or other relaxation treatments.
- Read and study God’s word.
- Participate in worship.
- Listen to music or read a good book.
- Spend quality time with family and friends.
- Eat a healthy diet of fruit, vegetables, and drink plenty of water.
- Set boundaries, say No and stick to it.
- DELEGATE, Delegate, delegate.
- Slow down.
- Have daily prayer, devotions or take a prayer walk.
- Get adequate rest and uninterrupted sleep.
- Have regular health screenings and checkups.
- Go on vacation.
- Seek professional help and counseling, when needed.
- After you have worked and served, take time to be replenished by spending time alone in God’s presence. Observe the beauty of God’s creation, listen attentively to the still-speaking God and respond in total surrender.
Be Blessed and Live Well!
Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. (ESV) – 3 John 1:2
