If you are not in the habit of taking care of yourself, you need to know the source of your energy and strength and what saps your reserves. You need to be aware when your energy is running low. Our physical symptoms like headaches, tight muscles, and a sore jaw are among some of the more common physical warning signs. In terms of cognitive indicators, we have forgetfulness, trouble making decisions, and difficulty with communication are common cognitive indicators. Easy frustration, snappish temper, and increased sensitivity to sadness and anxiety are the mood symptoms. These signals show how we react to life stresses.
Other forms of indicators that show you have drained your energy are feeling tired when you're emotionally exhausted, or irritable when you are physically depleted. Each of us has different ways of pampering ourselves. We need to revitalize our physical, cognitive and emotional well-being in order to handle events or situations that do not turn out our way.
Ideally, self-care involves eliminating, or limiting as much as possible, those things that deplete you of your reserves. Real life is too complicated that we need to figure out how much control we have over the exhaustive things in our lives.
Work, for example, is one of the sources of our personal drain because we become keen observers that we need to discover what parts of work are most draining and what parts we might be able to change. At work, sometimes we feel left out because of our unappreciated efforts. We even ask ourselves, "Is this really the career for me?"
Other draining circumstances arise unexpectedly. The death of a parent, problems with a child, the loss of a job; unanticipated events or crises become huge drains of our physical, cognitive, and emotional energy. While we can't always prevent these things, it's important to recognize what a significant demand they make on our personal resources. If possible, when we know these events are coming, we can take steps to make time for increased self-care before and during the crisis, we need to make sure that we are watchful of our internal fuel gauge as we do our best to navigate through a difficult time.
for example, when my uncle got his second stroke, it was really emotionally, physically and mentally draining especially that I did not expect it to happen. Coming from a very small family because my uncles never marry and we are only two who are their nephews, it's really difficult to adjust especially if I, myself was not feeling well.
Thinking of the consequence of that stroke drained my emotional and cognitive reserves. My thoughts were always negative. "What if he got paralyzed? What should I do? Can I give my career for the sake of my family when my kids are also growing up? Too difficult to handle when you are torn between family and kids.
I asked myself, why do I have to handle all the burdens of my family? Why they give me so much responsibility on my shoulders? Did I leave something for me? Although money was not the problem, the one who would take care of my sick family member was the main source of my agony. From there, I realized that I need to take care of myself too. What will happen to them if something happens to me?
It's really devastating to know that you have nobody to turn to. You have no one to talk with and share your doubts. I want to cry but can't. That's a sign of weakness when your courage is the source of strength of your family. I love my family very much but I don't know up to what extent I can sacrifice for them.
We need to take care of ourselves no matter what. As we do this, we become better and better at keeping our lives and selves running smoothly; we become skilled mechanics in the workings of our own well-being.
http://ezinearticles.com/?What-To-Do-When-Events-Arent-Running-Smoothly&id=9765423
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