Kindness: Remembering to Practice Self-Care

Kindness often comes in the small things. Those small acts are so important, yet so easy to forget about when it comes to ourselves.

The three of us have each expounded on this topic, and we come back to it again and again. I can’t speak for Kate and Elisa, but I keep coming back to the subject because I keep forgetting. I work myself into a stress over not writing fast enough, not being where I want to be at this point in my life. Then, when I remember, I take a step back and breathe. The relief is indescribable.

But reaching that point is a constant struggle for me.

For a long time, I’ve made no secret of how frustrated I am at the speed at which I am currently writing. The current chapter has not helped matters by needing an entire rework. Lately, that frustration has reached critical levels.

What also doesn’t help matters? The general shit-show that is this year. My paternal grandmother’s memorial was this past weekend, for example. Between day job stress and life stress, I’ve had no kindness for myself. Depression and breakdowns run rampant.

A writer friend is coming to visit in a few weeks and the house desperately needs a cleaning. The prospect as a whole overwhelms me. I have to remember that it’s ok to break it up and only do a little at a time.

I’ve made creative dates: a hopefully weekly phone date with another writer friend (which may or may not have been named Wednesday Writing Bitch sessions), a photo shoot with a photographer friend, a lunch with a theatre friend. And I’ve volunteered to help with organizing the 24-hour play writing festival this fall, if for no other reason than to give an excuse to surround myself with amazing theatre people.

These are a few of the ways I’m being kind to myself. What about you? How have you shown yourself kindness lately?

The post Kindness: Remembering to Practice Self-Care appeared first on Anxiety Ink.