Self Care: Beyond Bubble Baths and Massages

Most people think of self care in terms of bubble baths and massages, that “quick fix” technique to undo the stress, worry, and tension that has accumulated. While things like bubble baths and massages might help alleviate some immediate effects of stress, worry, and tension, they certainly cannot prevent us from reacting to the day to day events and situations in our lives that overwhelm us.

True self care is really more about PREVENTION than INTERVENTION. Let’s take a look at intervention first. Intervention has to do with reacting to what has happened. A fight with a loved one, an unrealistic demand from a supervisor, an unexpected expense, etc. We might react by verbally attacking someone else or biting our tongue. We might automatically think the other person is at fault (for this and perhaps everything else going wrong in our lives) or we might think “what’s wrong with me” or “why does this always happen?” In order to deal with our reaction, we might turn to stress relieving activities, such as bubble baths and massages. But once the water drains and the last muscle is kneaded, we’re still left with the consequences of our reaction. We may have said or done something we regret to someone else or even ourselves. Which leads to other interventions, healthy or not so healthy, and the cycle continues. Some examples of intervention strategies might include:

•  Yelling into a pillow (rather than at someone else)
• Treating yourself to decadent dessert
• Taking a long, hot bubble bath

Prevention has to do with setting ourselves up for success and shaping our reaction BEFORE we have it. It involves respecting ourselves enough to make healthy choices more often than we make unhealthy ones. It’s about lifestyle, consistency, and commitment. By committing to prevention, we can learn to take care of ourselves (mind, body, and spirit) in ways that helps us take time out before we respond, choose our words and our actions, and deal with stressful situations in ways that honor not only ourselves but others. Ultimately, prevention is about how we treat ourselves – the actions we take to care for ourselves, the thoughts we have, and how we feel about ourselves. Some examples of prevention strategies might include:

• Getting enough sleep each night (7 to 9 hours)
• Moving your body regularly (walking, working out, etc.)
• Saying positive affirmations to yourself daily

While bubble baths, massages, and other nurturing intervention strategies can be part of an overall self care plan, they are only a small part. For true and lasting ways to take better care of ourselves, it’s important to incorporate prevention strategies.

To learn more about how you can take better care of yourself, please join me for the first of my monthly FREE Telseminar series, “Beyond Bubble Baths and Massages: Making Yourself a Priority in 2012.” Simply go to the REGISTRATION page and enter your name and email to get signed up.