Caretaking Myself

by Jane Seskin, LCSW

     As an older social worker, I want to set the stage before compassion fatigue knocks on my door. This list of a month’s suggestions is one of the ways I caretake myself. Hope you’ll find something here for you to bring home. (I frequently read the list to remind me to stay conscious.)

  1. Pump up your heart by giving away gratitude.
  2. Ask for what you want and need.
  3. Wear socks that make you smile.
  4. Personal space is one arm length.
  5. Pledge allegiance to yourself.
  6. Be mindful of time spent on electronics.
  7. Feed yourself with books, music, dance, theatre.
  8. Choose doctors younger than yourself.
  9. Make friends with your local library.
  10. Sit with sadness. Write it down. Go outside.
  11. Try not to keep score.
  12. In public restrooms, use paper towels instead of hand dryer.
  13. Swallow ideas. Be excited. Be inspired. Implement. 
  14. Take a day off for bed rest just because…
  15. Yes weights, for strength-bearing exercise.
  16. Know what belongs to you and what belongs to “other.”
  17. Green light the comfort of the heating pad.
  18. Practice courage, hope, kindness, respect. 
  19. Stand up for what you believe: say it, write it, walk it.
  20. Create memories—it’s your history.
  21. Name five things in your home that make you smile.
  22. Try to balance on one foot as a routine. 
  23. Put resentment in a box in your closet. Close the door.
  24. Hold onto your power. You’ve worked for it. 
  25. The goal of life is to live it each and every day.
  26. It’s okay to make mistakes. Be gentle on yourself. 
  27. Laughter lowers stress hormone cortisol. Do it!
  28. Celebrate small and large accomplishments.
  29. Daily look at the sky.
  30. Surprise a friend with flowers.
  31. Believe in yourself. You’re worth it!

Jane Seskin, LCSW, is a social worker and author, most recently of the poetry collection Older Wiser Shorter: The Truth and Humor of Life After 65. Her poems and essays have appeared in more than 45 publications. She's a contributor to the Chicken Soup for the Soul Anthology series, has been a writer-in-residence at the Vermont Studio Center, and has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize.