Photo credit BigStockPhoto Nelosa
by Erlene Grise-Owens, EdD, LCSW, MSW, MRE, lead co-editor of The A-to-Z Self-Care Handbook for Social Workers and Other Helping Professionals
Right now, life feels like a lot; everything feels big and overwhelming. As such, self-care can feel like one more big thing and add to the overwhelm. I’ve been thinking a lot about the little things that have made a big difference in my self-care over the decades. In this big overwhelm, I encourage us to draw on those little things.
Here are my top three “little” self-care practices that have an exponentially powerful effect on my well-being. Notably, none of these small things involve extravagant expenditures or add onerous expectations.
Mini-Habits
Habits make up a significant aspect of life—and, thus, our self-care. When I began this self-care journey, I would never have predicted the profound impact of mini-habits. These habits may even seem silly or superfluous; but, they are a serious part of my self-care.
Making the bed really does have all the benefits promoted by those experts who tout this habit, such as starting the day with a sense of orderliness and accomplishment. Please, remember that self-care is individualized; and, there are proponents of letting our beds air. So, you do you! The boring practice of flossing (and for me, tongue-scraping) is another small self-care habit. Emerging research points to a multitude of benefits from dental hygiene, which adds to the self-care benefits. Drinking a large glass of water and taking my supplements is another small habit with long-term benefits. My partner wants me to share his mini-habit of one piece of dark chocolate after an evening meal. This self-care treat is just enough to satisfy his sweet tooth, whilst providing a daily dose of healthy flavonoids.
Rituals can be an important aspect of engaging these mini-habits. “Tina” habitually begins and ends her day with mindful activities. She shares that getting herself in a good space before entering her day of being there for others is essential for both her self-care and participation in community. She often lights a candle and plays music whilst taking a long shower and getting ready. At the end of the day, she makes sure she has her phone on DND and has a similar wind-down routine.
Gratitude Practice
A Gratitude Practice is another significant facet of my “small” self-care. For years, I’ve kept some form of a gratitude journal as a routine practice. Even more crucially, I integrate gratitude as a lifestyle. I routinely say thank you—to the Universe, to loved ones, to strangers. Thank my body for its abilities to carry me through the day, even whilst acknowledging the realities of my limitations. Thank my partner for making me the elixir of life (coffee). Thank the stranger for cleaning the public spaces. Part of advocacy is saying thank you to those doing the work; so, for instance, I routinely thank legislators, advocates, and others in the arena.
This practice of gratitude shifts my perspective. It accentuates the good and amplifies the positive. It helps me operate out of both compassion and abundance, which has reciprocal, iterative impacts. Gratitude is incredibly pivotal in my self-care, which includes and reinforces personal, professional, political, planetary, and community connections.
Noticing
Mini-habits and gratitude practice are inextricably linked with the self-care facet of Noticing. The “A” entry in The A-to-Z Self-Care Handbook is “Awareness.” Indeed, self-care begins with awareness—and noticing is integral to awareness. This noticing requires intentionality. Engaging our senses, and mindfulness, are two key ways to intentionally deepen our noticing. Self-Care: I Notice the beauty and bounty Nature offers—architecture of bare winter branches, awe of colorful sunsets. Notice what my body, mind, and spirit are saying: Rest, move, reflect, play, protest. Notice how my surroundings affect me and adapt accordingly.
By the way, this noticing can be extrapolated to larger levels. For example, I consulted with an organization about their wellness initiative. As I entered their office building on a bright summer day, I noted a couple of dead plants at their entryway. I advised: Start with getting rid of those dead plants. So, notice: What are the “dead plants” you need to expunge? Along those lines, Notice who—which relationships and connections—feed your spirit and which ones sap it. Boundaries!
“Kaizen”—the Japanese approach of making small changes for significant effects—is the “K” entry for The A-to-Z Self-Care Handbook. After years of practice, I’m even more convinced of the importance of taking this approach for significant and sustainable self-care. In this time of big overwhelm, we need this reminder: Little things, particularly when sustained, have big impact.
Take a few minutes to reflect. What are three little ways you practice self-care? How might you make small changes? Share these reflections with an accountability partner, perhaps with your team. And, as always, I invite you to share with us. We’re all in this, together.
Peace, Love, & Self-Care
Erlene
Erlene Grise-Owens, EdD, LCSW, MSW, MRE, is a Partner in The Wellness Group, ETC. This LLC provides evaluation, training, and consultation for organizational wellness and practitioner well-being. Dr. Grise-Owens is lead editor of The A-to-Z Self-Care Handbook for Social Workers and Other Helping Professionals. As a former faculty member and graduate program director, she and a small (but mighty!) group of colleagues implemented an initiative to promote self-care as part of the social work education curriculum. Previously, she served in clinical and administrative roles. She has experience with navigating toxicity and dysfunction, up-close and personal! Likewise, as an educator, she saw students enter the field and quickly burn out. As a dedicated social worker, she believes the well-being of practitioners is a matter of social justice and human rights. Thus, she is on a mission to promote self-care and wellness!