Earlier this week, we had a day that was warm for DC winter. I had to go to the post office to ship off custom wellness journals folks had ordered for their self care journaling. I could either drive there in 5 minutes or walk in 15. I was feeling tired and stressed by the middle of the day and had a lot to do. So as I looked outside and felt the call of the sun, that fear, that worst-case voice, said, "You don't have time to walk!" That guilt said, "Who are you to take a walk?"
I almost drove, but thanks to the gentle nudge of a friend, I walked. As I walked, I breathed in the soft breeze. I relished the sun on my skin. When I got home, my to-do list was still there, but damnit, I had walked. I chose 30 minutes of enjoying the outside over whatever work I could have done in that time gained from driving. And, fuck it, I'm declaring that the walk was better than any task I could have gotten done.
If 30 minutes feels like too much time, that's ok, try 15 minutes. Or lying down with your eyes closed for five minutes. Or stepping and gazing out the window for five minutes, back turned to your devices and work. Or doing some self care journaling, expressing your feelings and thoughts, whatever is weighing on you, for 3 minutes, followed by one, big, breath.
These are small things. I know when we have the weight of the world on us, small things can seem like, "What difference do they make? What difference will five minutes of self care journaling make? What difference will a walk make? They're not going to make my depression go away. They're not going to make my challenges go away." I feel that.
What I've found is that, every time I do something small for myself, whether it's lying down for 10 minutes or self care journaling in my custom wellness journal for 10 minutes or moving my body for 10 minutes, to have a moment of ease, I counter those beliefs from fear and guilt that "I don't deserve ease," "I'm not enough." Bit by bit, I reinforce the beliefs, "I deserve rest," "I am enough."
It takes time. It happens in little steps. That's the way SMALL acts of self-care can be so powerful. They add up. They do matter. So try your best to gift yourself these small moments of ease. You deserve love and ease.
The Power of Small
Posted by Alina Liao on