In all professions, Self Care should definitely be a priority. Everyone needs "me time" to connect with themselves after a long work week. As a School Counselor, Self Care should absolutely be a requirement. Although there are many magical moments as a Counselor, we are also taking in so many emotions, dark stories, children's pain and more. As we're holding a child's fear, worry or sadness in our hands to care for them, who's going to do it for us? Well, look in the mirror. You have to care for you. And this is how this entire blog post came along. Am I self caring? Am I doing it right? How do I know what to choose as my self-care plan? I asked myself all of these questions and realized, I don't think I even know how to self care, so I had to break it down to figure it all out.
I struggled with what my self-care routines should have been at first only because I felt like I had to go out my way and pay for extravagant things to feel good. I joined EXPENSIVE gyms because I thought to myself, "hey that's what everyone does to care for themselves, let me do it". Boy, was I ever so wrong.
I was also ohhhhh so ever embarrassed that as an adult, I didn’t know how to “self-care”.
Self-care is so HUGE that sometimes, money isn’t even necessary. I’m all over the place with my ideas and hobbies. I pretty much enjoy just about everything. Let me show you how I went from not knowing what was my self-care to learning that it was all under my nose the entire time.
What does Jenna like: Being outdoor, driving, music, kids, laughing, anything in pink, water, ocean views, the holiday season, friends, family, Spa, Central Park, cooking, walking, meeting people, dressing cute, reading and writing.
The important part is finding what makes you happy. I’ll be honest, people used to say self-care and they would show themselves painting, drawing, yoga, running, etc… While it’s all awesome, those activities actually made me stressed out rather than content at the moment. I can’t draw or paint so I became frustrated and running or doing yoga made me so anxious and upset.
My thought was"UGH.. Self Care isn't for me".
WRONG!
FIND THINGS THAT PERTAIN TO YOU! If you don't then it's not self-care. It's stress and it's probably a headache.
I had to get in tuned with myself and figure out who I was and not use everyone else's self care . Come to find out, I was doing self-care the entire time; It was just different from how I had others do it.
SOME of Jenna's Self Care Discoveries
• Pop up shops- NY has been known lately to offer some of the most amazing one time experiences in pop up shops which are not only fun as heck but make your pictures so Instagram worthy. Some are free, some are not.
Concert while Driving: Some find driving to be a stress but to me it's the complete opposite. Driving is where I blast my music and sing at the top of my lungs to Ariana Grande and Linkin Park. I drive to just about anywhere, do a little dance at the stop lights and if I'm stuck in traffic, I'm hitting the Mariah Carey notes and doing the hand gestures. I always feel great after a concert in my car!
BEACH: I take advantage of beach weather because living in NY doesn't give you all year round beach access. Thanks so much Winter! So any chance I get, whether is on vacation or even a trip out to Long Island to go to the beach, I'm all for it! Afterall, I am a mermaid!
HULU and Netflix: OMG such a great time doing absolutely nothing. Grab some wine or ice cream and just binge watch Grey's Anatomy or Friends or my absolute favorite, Christmas movies! The day flies by and I'm just so relaxed and happy with my McDreamy!
Spa: I've grown to love spa's. Not for the massages because I'm not a fan of them but for the facials, body scrubs and just quiet time. I've gone on a mission to find great spas in NYC and my favorite has got to be Oasis Day Spa! So relaxing and refreshing each time! This is a once in a while thing only because it is pricey!
Writing: I've always had a love for reading and writing. I have long term goals of writing children stories but for now, I have added blogging to my Self-care list. Creating a Counselor Instagram and blog keeps me busy, entertained and I personally feel it has allowed me to grow professionally. I learn from other counselors, become inspired and motivated to continue excelling in the career I'm doing.
Concerts & Sporting Events: Now we all know these are pricey but when you plan accordingly, great ticket prices are found and if booked early, you have something to look forward to and you'll be full of excitement.
Quality time with loved ones: This is probably my favorite one and honestly, this doesn't have to be costly. A day/night in playing games, talking and sipping on wine can be pretty cheap and simply entertaining. I'm grateful for my time with friends who let me vent to them because without them, I'd probably be nuts!
Overall, the moral of the post is that what works for one person's self-care may not work for you. Start small and detailing out who you are and what you need and you'll soon find yourself with a lengthy list of how to care best for you!