The Self-care Shed

[Former-Member]

Welcome to the shed! Your quiet retreat.
Pour a cuppa, grab a biccie and settle in.

It can be challenging to focus on our self-care when we’re trying to rebuild our lives after the impact of Australian Bushfires.

Sometimes we feel we have bigger things to worry about than practising all of that mindfulness stuff, yet we are arguably the most important people in our lives.  

Self-care can also be about processing emotional reactions to life and doing things that we might find difficult, like asking for help, practising meditation or going for a walk with the dog. Taking time for self-care is not always easy, but doing something small each day, week or month is a good start.

Let’s share below our own strategies for self-care. No idea is too big or too small, so let’s get sharing! Press Reply on this post to share your tips.

[Snowie]

What a great idea @Former-Member 

Self care is such an important part of our mental health and something I try and use every day. Of course sometimes it doesn't go to plan but that doesn't mean we don't try again. 

Some things I find good are:

Going for a walk

Playing with my dog

Sitting down and having a cuppa

Listening to some music

Watching videos on youtube

What do others use for self care?

[Former-Member]

Beautiful examples @Snowie 

when you're sitting down and having a cuppa how does your brain go? I have been trying to sit outside lately with a coffee like yourself - just staring up at the sky. I have found my attention span is atrocious lately. Perhaps due to all of the digital work I do. What do you do when the mind starts to wander @Snowie away from the present? 

[Shaz51]

this is great @Former-Member 

I agree @Former-Member , @Snowie   Self care is such an important part of our mental health 

and we should include it in part of our daily lives 

Some things I find good are:
Reading a magazine 
Sitting down and having a cuppa
Listening to some music
watching Tv , / movie 

What do others use for self care?

What do you do when the mind starts to wander when you are sitting down  having a cuppa ??

a very good question @Former-Member , @Snowie  and sometimes hard at times as your mind starts thinking about things 

as for me -- if it is jobs coming up --- i will write it down

if it is my children / family -- i will say a prayer for them 

I am finding for me it is better for me to walk around my yard with nature helps me not thing 

[BPDSurvivor]

Hey Friends,

As part of self-care, I try to find things I am grateful for. Please do not think I am underestimating the pain that comes with fires, but terms of the fires, I try to remember that some of Australia's unique flora only grows after they are exposed to heat from fires. Examples include Eucalyptus, certain pines and banksia.

Rare plant growth will flourish after the fires. I witnessed this in the aftermath of the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria. At that time, I cried as I walked through the streets of Marysville. Having gone back several years later, the bush life was certainly flourishing.

BPDSurvivor

[Former-Member]

I love this thread  I always say to myself self-care is not selfish. If I take care of myself, then I can really be there for myself and my loved ones. 🌻  

@Shaz51 @Snowie  Self-care for me includes: setting clear boundaries between work and life, doing some acrylics painting 🖼, and watching documentaries & Tv shows on Netflix 💕 

[Snowie]

@Former-Member I find when my mind starts to wander I try and ground myself. I use oils, walk around barefoot outside, use ice in my hands, just some examples. I try to use my 5 senses. I have been using them a lot this week 😒

Does it always work, no, but that doesn't mean I stop trying.

@Former-Member @Shaz51 some great self care there. It isn't always easy and something we need to continue to work on all the time.

Talking about self care, time for a cuppa!!

[YouAreNotAlone]

Thanks for bringing up this important conversation, @Former-Member!

Self-care is so challenging when you're not feeling okay. And particularly those of us who lived through the fires, we never really got a chance to mourn and feel before COVID kicked in. 

When I feel down, self-care is the first thing that usually goes. But what I've realised in recovering is that self-care is THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. It is a key cornerstone of resilience. It's not a fluffy, optional extra: it's a requirement.

For me, my self-care includes things like:

• Looking after my physical health, including:
  • Going for walks, exercising and stretching
  • Making sure I drink water
  • Eating vegetables and fruits, limiting junk food, alcohol and soft drink (as delicious as it is, I notice the difference in my body when I do and don't eat them)
  • Taking my vitamins and medication
• Looking after my mental wellbeing, including:
  • Talking to friends and family (even if it's about something completely unrelated)
  • Talking to my psychologist
  • Being gentle with myself
  • Doing things I enjoy, like reading, gaming and listening to music
• Mindfulness and meditation

But even with all those things, it's still hard. The key thing that keeps me holding on is 1) knowing this too shall pass, 2) knowing I am not alone, and 3) knowing that becuase of my experiences, I can now relate to and help other people navigating the same issues.

I hope this helps! 

[Shaz51]

Thank you  @YouAreNotAlone  for your message,  very important xx

@Former-Member , @Snowie , @Former-Member , @BPDSurvivor , @frog , @outlander , @eth 

[frog]

Hi @Snowie @Shaz51 @Former-Member @Former-Member @BPDSurvivor 

Cuppas are featuring in our self care - it's a go to for me!

Pottering in the garden and walking help me a lot too.

I didn't really grasp how to do self care before I found the forum, and realised that it's not only legitimate, but essential. I agree 100% @YouAreNotAlone self care is #1  - great list!

Post fires I felt that sometimes allowing feelings and tears to come was self care... not putting pressure on myself to hold it together all the time.