I hurt my back.
No, not a big deal and not something new.
It happens and contrary to what my wife says, it has nothing to do with the fact that my twin sister has a birthday coming soon.
Nothing at all!
Now, I know what I should do when this happens.
I know it! And yet, I found myself putting it off.
When things got a little worse I broke down and said, “I am just going to take 15 minutes and do the icing and stretching.”
It was transformational. Even magical.
Things started getting checked off my list as I was focused and able to move easier.
Upon reflection I was asking myself why I hadn’t done this sooner.
You see, by taking the 15 minutes I was able to be more focused, more productive and more engaged with those around me.
By not having my body sending those messages of, “I am hurting, take care of me,” I was able to focus on others. I realized that I wasn’t really present when my body was yelling at me.
One of the reasons we are so lousy at self-care is because we don’t always recognize when we need it.
But the need for self-care is shown in other ways.
Do you find yourself not really present in the conversation?
Are you less engaged?
Are you losing your temper easily?
Finding yourself frustrated or irritable?
These are signs that we need to practice some self-care.
It doesn’t require a full day at the spa (although I am all for that).
It can be as simple as skipping your television show and going to bed earlier.
Drinking more water.
Going on a walk (even if it is with the kids).
Jotting down 10 things you are grateful for.
Schedule a few minutes for yourself.
Your body and those around you will be glad you did.