Opening the Door to Self-Care
A Way Through the Weeds:
Guidance for women navigating divorce and abuse
Self-care
For us women, particularly those of us who have experienced the rejection of divorce and the ravages of abuse, self-care is almost a four-letter word. Taking time for a nap in the middle of the day or a cup of coffee with a friend or an hour at the yoga studio may strike us as frivolous at best, a down-right waste of time and money at worst.
​
My friend, do not buy into that lie. Those little gifts we give ourselves are food for our souls, our spirits, and our bodies. They strengthen us. They heal us. Caring for ourselves with love and sensitivity gives us the resilience we need to weather our storms with grace and dignity. And ironically enough, as we care for ourselves, we find we have more capacity to care for others as well.
​
REMEMBER: Sometimes our emotional and physical states have come to a place where simple self-care is not enough. We may require professional counselling or even short-term medication to re-calibrate and return to health. PLEASE, seek help from a counselor or physician if you find yourself wanting to hurt yourself or others or if you experience signs of depression such as lack of interest in daily life, inability to sleep or inability to get out of bed, or changes in your personality. Take it from me: a little help can go a LONG way.