I remember thinking, “How can I possibly care for myself when I have no time?” I know now that I have to put my oxygen mask on before I put it on others. It was painful to learn that.
The times I decided to bag the support group and do something else meant I was giving up that which was working for me at a time when I needed it most. Those times you decide to meditate, go to yoga, take a hot bath, play golf, go for a run, allows you the break you need to refuel and gain perspective.
I know if I don’t allow myself those moments of self-care, I’ll end up feeling like a doormat, used up and useless, not to mention resentful. It’s taken me a long time to shed the guilt for indulging.
OK, so I’ve not completely overcome that. But I recognize I must and some positive self-talk gets me back into the right frame of mind. I have to make boundaries and honor those. And self-care is part of that recipe.
In short, I know that self-care does not equal selfish.
Oh gosh Anne Moss this is so true! David told me recovering from his surgery that my self care is terrible! I once told my daughter’s therapist that she should take a picture of the Mom’s from when the ED began to what they look like now because it sure has aged me. Thank you for the reminder of the oxygen mask. I am working on it. ❤
It’s actually a very hard step to take. But think of it this way. You are being a role model for your daughter.