...for taking care of yourself.
If you need to:
- have a nap
- go to bed early
- eat a snack
- drink some water
- get up and move
- go for a walk
- swim
- read
- do whatever you need to do in order to look after your emotional, mental and physical well-being
It's your life.
I've had people say to me that they wished they could _______ (fill in the blank with one of the above). I imagine that what I was doing may have seemed self-indulgent to them. For me, living well with a chronic, debilitating disease means that I listen to my body - heart, mind and soul - and do what I need to do in order to function optimally.
It may mean saying no, not at this time or never. It also means that when I look after me, you get the best of me and not some worn-out, tired version of me.
I agree with the whole lot with a caveat. It is often easier said than done when one is a care giver. I have found this to be true with all the care givers that are part of the group that I am a member of in India. All of us tell each other that these are important, but all of us also confirm that very often, it is just not possible due to constraints imposed by care giving.
Yes, caregivers do have an especially tough lot. I don’t know for sure, but I’m guessing the things you do like blogging, reading, teasing/flirting 😉 and your park visits help you maintain your balance in a world that can quickly move off-balance.