Self-Care

[Anne Westlund]

(officearrow.com)

This could be called pampering yourself or just general grooming beyond the basics. I'm not really high-maintenance, more medium-maintenance. There are things I just don't do anymore, like tan or use self-tanning products. I don't include basic stuff like showering, shaving or brushing/flossing. Neither do I include once a month or so things like coloring or getting my hair cut. This is my weekly self-care schedule. It's a rare week when I get everything done on the list. Maybe some of you would like to start a schedule like this or tell us what you do to keep on top of things and renewed.

Sunday-Toenails (trimming and painting toenails, don't have to do this every week)

Monday-Face-Moisturize (I break out if I moisturize too much, so I only do this once a week)

Tuesday-Body Butter Feet (I use a pumice/foot file and give myself a pedicure and body butter my feet and put socks on or just body butter my feet)
Scrub Body (I use a bath brush and body scrub to exfoliate)

Wednesday-Deep Condition Hair (I use a Garnier deep conditioner or the tubes you get with color)

Thursday-Moisturize Body

Friday-Nails (cut and paint my fingernails)

Saturday-Body Butter Feet
Mask Face (I use St. Ives apricot scrub for sensitive skin)

[Carol Clark]

Wow, what great timing. This is something I can really use, Anne.

It's funny, because I've been thinking of this very thing -- how can I take better care of myself for the summer, instead of just "throwing myself together"...?

I think my plan will include a relaxing bath once or twice a week, even tho it's summer! I've just always reserved that for the wintertime. I want to get my hair trimmed more often, instead of pulling it back into a ponytail and letting it go. And I have all these great colors of nail polish sitting in my vanity. I think I'll try painting my toenails again, I always love the way that looks when I'm done.

I am also including YOGA in my self-care package here, even though I think there's another group here for that. To continue to do those stretches, focus on the meditation and breathing exercises I want to be doing.

I'm so glad you posted this Anne. You've got me thinking more concretely about these things. Thanks!
Carol

[Anne Westlund]

Hi Carol

I feel better about myself when I do some of the things on this list. I know you will too when you do your things. Yoga? That's fantastic!

Anne

[Lin Neiswender]

Good timing Anne- I just had a pedicure and manicure Sunday, with a gift certificate from my birthday. Have a party coming up this coming Sunday, but I really ought to be taking better care of my hands and feet. Buying the color of polish they put on my nails to see if I can maintain the look.

[Anne Westlund]

Lin

What a nice gift! I used to be a manicurist, but you can't tell by the shape my nails are in. Think I will paint them today. :)

[Lin Neiswender]

That's a cool skill to have, Anne! I am not so good at painting my nails. I get impatient and put the polish on too thick, making a mess!

[Anne Westlund]

You are very welcome, Fiona. Take what you can use and leave the rest.

Anne

[Hannah]

I have had to think a lot about taking care of myself so I was happy when this topic came up. For me it's about what I do to take care of myself in every way -- financially and emotionally as well as physically. Reading about all this grooming and pampering makes me realize how much this sort of thing improves one's self esteem and self respect, which is bound to impact on my behavior in other areas.

I find myself constantly reorganizing my schedule in order to be better able to focus on my goals. It's an organic process, based on seeing how I feel and what works for me. I went from making lists of "most important to dos" to setting a single goal for a day to setting goals within categories to what I have now, which is focusing on one aspect of my life every day. There's one for each day of the week and I actually have two days set aside for what I have come to call "Grooming". But this is anything related to my physical self care, including exercise and food (shopping/cooking/menu planning). This is for me an improvement over trying to pay a little attention to everything every day. It helps me a lot with my nagging voice (of my mother) who is constantly finding fault with me for everything I am not doing at the time. And yet still it's hard to stick to, still I find myself having a hard time not obsessing about them (the things I'm not doing), especially because life being what it is certain issues seem to be like squeaky wheels, demanding a lot of effort and attention. For instance my mother informed me that for my parents' 50th wedding anniversary, they might take the family on a cruise in February. This probably means I need to have a respectable wardrobe of summer clothes, which are particularly difficult for me since I like to cover up and wear dark colors to boot but also suffer a great deal in the heat. I have also never been on a cruise and have no idea how people dress. Well I spent an hour or two yesterday looking this up on the internet, and several hours at one store, where I had a terrible time finding the kind of clothes I never wear and am not even sure what constitutes them. I thought of several other stores which might have a better selection for what I might be looking for. I am very tight with money so I can't afford to buy more than I need -- so I can't buy the nice slacks and skirts I saw which might be good for work but would probably be too heavy for a cruise -- unless we go to Nova Scotia! Naturally my mother has no idea. I have to get light clothes that are also dressy that are also casual that also don't show all my excess fat. I saw things that only covered one of these and had to wonder if they wouldn't suit one occasion, and then wonder whether I couldn't even get that sort of thing cheaper somewhere else, or that would be more appropriate or flexible. It was a nightmare. Shopping in general, with the shortage of money and the questions of appropriateness in style has become a nightmare as an adult. So today, which is my Music focus day, I find myself obsessing about all that instead. Not only that but my Social day is Saturday, however, that requires planning in advance. And, since I spent my grooming day on this cruise thing because of trying to catch the sales, I ended up too worn out to dye my hair. I know it sounds like I should go back to my "priority" or "putting out fires" scheduling as it might also be called, but I found that didn't work because it encouraged this way of thinking and that didn't let me ever get to devote any quality time to anything but those things. I'm thinking of scheduling in daily "putting out fires" time. That might work, but I wonder if it won't start eating up my whole day, with me thinking everything is urgent except those things which aren't which are, however, equally important, such as Music or Creativity. This is what I mean about the constant organic reorganization and refinement of how I spend my time, which is the pre-eminent self care issue for me.

[Anne Westlund]

Hannah,

I too am constantly trying to find new ways to get to my goals, or achieve some small part of my goals. I like your idea of having one day for one thing. I might have to try that. I don't know if you are a plus size, but www.onestopplus.com has some nice clothes, not too high priced. They might have something you could wear on your cruise. I ordered some tunics from them because I like longer tops. Thanks for commenting. Keep on keepin' on!

Anne

[Hannah]

Thanks Anne I like that site a lot! I'm a 14 so I figure the 12W might fit? I wonder if just some knit camisole tops (those are pretty easy to find) and a couple of pairs of shorts (which are for some reason not easy to find -- they're either too short or too tailored or denim or ripped or incredibly, too heavy for real summer) will be all I need for day. But maybe on a boat it's cool enough to wear t shirts in which case I have to find some that don't look like I could fix a car in it or else have some hideous applique on it and are in a light color I can tolerate. I'd like to get a sundress also but haven't seen any, and a pair or two of light pants, a couple of light long sleeve shirts, and then a couple of nice dressy summer dresses for dressier nights (I think they have one or two 'formal" dinners) and then what shoes do I wear with them? (Some kind of light but closed summer shoe with not too high a heel). It's kind of mind boggling that it's hard to find these rather basic summer clothes for women in the stores.

[Anne Westlund]

That sounds like a good assortment of clothes, Hannah. I don't think cruises are terribly formal. Maxi dresses are all the vogue now, and cover up a "multitude of sins". I have one and I wouldn't even have to shave my legs to wear it. TMI! If you can't find shorts, capris are a nice look too. Oh, and remember to bring a swimsuit! I'm sure you will have fun on your trip, no matter what you end up buying. :)

Anne