Making Self-Care a Priority

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Can you believe that we only started classes last Monday? It feels like it’s only been a week, while also a month at the same time. I spent the first week of classes trying to balance the pressures to get myself adjusted to the term with the physical and mental strains of leaving my old job for a new one. My commute for the past year has been rather short, but this new job has me walking over sheets of ice and gray slush sometimes four times a day for about 20 minutes at a time. I didn’t realize just how stress-inducing this semester was until my body made me notice, as it reached complete exhaustion.

On Sunday, my mother made me promise to practice self-care starting tomorrow (Saturday), however, my body pushed those plans up as all the work I’ve put in since the pandemic hit finally hit me. I have a problem, and it’s called being a hustler. I struggle to shake the feeling that I never do enough or that I always need to push myself beyond my limits in everything I do. This habit of mine has helped me so much my entire life, however it’s simply not sustainable, and I have no choice but to accept this truth. 

At this moment, I’m listening to “epiphany” from folklore (Taylor Swift), glancing out the window at the bright mounds of snow piled along the sides of one of Coe’s parking lots. I haven’t felt this motivated in quite some time. This is the feeling of true inspiration, the feeling of accepting my feelings as they are now and taking action accordingly, instead of forcing myself to pretend that I am okay when I am not. 

No longer will I neglect my need for essential oils; my diffuser has created an atmosphere of lemongrass and tea tree which has greatly helped my breathing. I picked up my new yellow Switch Lite (the color of happiness, sunflowers, and pichus) and placed it in between my puppy-eyed German Shepherd phone holder and white kitty sticky-notes holder. I have a tall cup of ice water that hydrates me and my cardigan warms me in these below freezing temperatures. 

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I’m sure that so many of us Kohawks are in the struggle - trying to stay focused during Zoom classes, keeping up with work when we’re ill, or even dealing with an annoying ex. Whatever you’re going through, your health should be one of your priorities. Trust me. You do not want to end up 22 years old, struggling to sit and rise up because your thighs are dying; unless you’re into that (I’m talking about you, “Leg Day” people). 

My posts for this final semester of mine will be devoted to spreading the news of self-care and self-love, and trying to give what advice I can give before I graduate. 

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If you’d like some background, make sure to check out these self-love posts, and other posts on our blog about self-care. 

https://coecollegelearningcommons.blogspot.com/2020/03/what-not-to-do-and-what-to-do-when.html

https://coecollegelearningcommons.blogspot.com/2020/02/intro-to-self-love-glossary-of-posts.html

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