how to take care of you

How are you doing?

I’ve been over here taking care of myself. I’ve needed it.

And I’ve been wondering about you, too.

How do you take care of yourself when things are stressful?

As much as I believe in taking up space, speaking out, being an ally, and lovingly resisting injustice…none of this can happen effectively if you’re not feeling balanced, regulated and resourced.

And that can be super hard to do when so much crazy stuff is going on.

How do you find your balance?

How can you feel safe, meet your own basic needs, and have energy left over to be a force for good in the world?

Recently, I’ve had to get a bit out of balance to remember that I’m no good to anyone - especially not myself - if I’m not taking care of my own body, mind, and spirit.

If you know me at all, you know that I care about what’s going on in the world.

I care about social justice.

I care about human rights for all people.

I care about how some communities - in particular, the BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities - may be seriously affected by the imminent administration change here in the US.

I care deeply about climate change, and the escalating impacts on the environment that we’re seeing year after year.

I care about human decency and kindness.

Basically, I care about the values I was raised with.

Caring inspires me to take action and speak out.

In doing so, I hope I can - in some small way - help a corner of my world that might need it.

I hope that I can support my friends who might be feeling alone.

I hope I can shed light on a cause that others might also adopt.

That feels good and healthy.

But finding loving detachment can be really hard.

Personally, I tend towards anxiety and hypervigilance.

I’m working on it.

When I don’t temper the care and concern I have for the issues with self-care and emotional regulation, I suffer.

I have found myself paying too much attention to the scary stuff and not enough attention to my own inner wisdom and peace.

To be honest, this is a grey area.

On the one hand, there’s ugly stuff going on.

On the other hand, you need to take care of your own energy.

Of course, you can stick your head in the sand and pretend it isn’t happening. But in my opinion, that’s not an option at all. It’s not good for you OR your neighbor. It’s not responsible.

There’s some need to pay attention…to stay aware, to speak out, to help.

Yet if you pay attention all of the time, you’ll drive yourself crazy.

So what’s the right amount to read the news?

What’s the right amount to think about this stuff?

What’s the right amount to speak out, or to use your energy to help people?

I don’t think there’s one right answer.

In this challenging time for humans, each of us needs to find what works best for us.

This takes self-awareness and experimentation.

I believe that the best help you can give your community and the world comes from your own emotional balance and regulation.

If you are coherent and congruent…

If how you feel on the inside matches who you are on the outside…

If you are living the values of kindness, compassion, honesty and justice for yourself and for others…

You ARE a force for good in the world.

If, however, you find yourself feeling emotionally out of whack…

If you’re reacting to what’s happening in the world from a place of anger, fear, anxiety, and a need to control…

I humbly suggest you give yourself some TLC and support.

(I’m not preaching here…I’ve needed to do this for myself lately.)

I’m fortunate to have some effective resources for introspection, self-discovery, self-awareness, and support.

What works for YOU when you need to step away from the news and support yourself?

If you’re on this mailing list, I’m certain that you have some amazing practices and resources in your self-care toolkit.

I have no prescription.

The best resource you can find is the one that appeals to you.

It can be different for everyone.

One person’s meditation is another person’s yoga practice…

Or another person’s support group…

Or another person’s group of best friends.

What brings you back to yourself when life pulls you away from your center and stresses you out?

Let’s be real. The next 4 years will be an amazing opportunity to figure this out.

It’s time to line up your self-care and support tools.

My tool of choice right now is the work of Dr. Joe Dispenza. I’ve been meditating with Dr. Joe for years, but I have a renewed hunger for the peace that I find in doing his meditations.

Dr. Joe resonates with ME right now.

But YOU may resonate with something entirely different…a different practice, or teacher, or philosophy or activity that brings you balance and peace.

Why not dig into that?

Here’s why it’s important to take care of yourself during this time:

So you have a release valve for stress.

So you find your inner voice and inner strength.

So you show up in the world feeling strong and supported.

Let’s face it, there’s a lot of troubling stuff going on.

Looking the other way and hoping for the best isn’t going to cut it for most of us.

We have to find the ability to not let uncomfortable things derail us.

We have to find enough inner peace to sleep at night, stay healthy, and be a force for good.

It’s not always easy.

It’s very much a practice, and we won’t always get it right.

But sometimes we will.

And with repetition, we’ll get it right more often.

I’m committed to taking care of myself right now.

I can find peace inside AND hold a vision of how I want the world to be.

I can be at peace inside AND give of my energy and gifts and service and talents.

I know you can, too.

So as we head into this week, and the next 4 years, I invite YOU to take a look inside and ask yourself:

How can I support myself?

How can I love myself first so that I can show up and love my neighbors?

This line of self-inquiry is the first step.

Listen for the answers, and they will come.

I’m excited to hear what you find.

I still have space for a few amazing women in my new 12-week coaching container. Join me in 2025! Or click here to schedule a free 30-minute connection call with me. And for more juicy life stuff, check out my podcast, coming home (to yourself). As always, may your week be filled with self-love and rich insights. With love, Amy ♡♡♡