Care for Yourself During Difficult Times?

How Well Do You Care for Yourself During Difficult Times?

During Difficult Times re-learn how to focus.

Many of us feel busy, busy, busy. And it’s true—we are busy. That said, taking the time to really assess our Internet and social media time can be enlightening.

If I’m honest, I spend one to two hours of a “work” day cruising Facebook and Twitter, checking and answering email, and reading posts on different news outlets.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with this.

Getting Sidetracked

It is, for some of us though, a behavior that has “trained” us to not be as focused as we could be. Instead of sitting down and spending an uninterrupted two hours on a particular task, getting sidetracked online can cause that same task to take me three to four hours (or more!).

Great focusing skills also apply to our “me” time.

It’s not just useful when working or studying. Focus can also help to optimize the time we do spend relaxing or self-nurturing.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve “intended” to meditate or nap, and have found myself obsessively checking email instead.

Using apps to limit one’s access to social media can be a great way to start the process of shifting our online habits.

Self-Care Is Imperative

In times of stress, compassion for self, in the manner that is the most soothing and fulfilling for us, is a priority. To be present in our lives, and for our loved ones, and yes, for ourselves, this self-care is imperative.

What do you pay attention to when you’re in an intense period of self-care? (Moraca, 2013)

We all go through challenging times at various points in life—whether it’s a health crisis, the end of a relationship, job loss, financial difficulties or the death of a loved one.

To cope with such difficult times, self-care is vital but, too often, we are hard on ourselves instead. Answer these true/false questions to discover how well you support yourself during difficult times.

True or False?

Set 1

1. Although it doesn’t really help, when I’m facing something difficult, I often self-soothe by over-indulging in food and alcohol.
2. During tough times, I get caught up in “putting out fires,” and self-care goes out the window.
3. It’s easy for me to mentally spin out of control with worry and worst-case scenario thinking.
4. I can’t face my friends and family when things aren’t going well; I tend to isolate.
5. Shame and blame take over when I’m facing a difficult situation; I either feel it’s my fault or someone else’s.
6. During hard times, I get scared and feel immobilized and depressed.
7. I can’t understand why bad things happen to good people; it’s not fair.
8. In the midst of bad times, I lose perspective and have a hard time trusting that things will get better.

Set 2

1. No matter what’s going on, I’m committed to staying on track with my self-care routines.
2. Caring for myself includes asking for and receiving support from people who love and care about me.
3. I share my feelings and what’s going on with people I trust.
4. I have tools to help keep myself positively focused.
5. No matter how intense the situation, I take the time to do things that make me feel better, such as working out, getting a massage, spending time in nature.
6. I surround myself with supportive people and uplifting materials.
7. When times are tough, I look for any deeper or broader meaning behind the outer circumstances. That helps me keep the situation in perspective and even use it for my own psychological growth.
8. I trust myself to be able to handle whatever comes my way.

If you answered true more often in Set 1 and false more often in Set 2, you may wish to get more support around caring for yourself. Please call if you’d like assistance in exploring this further.

A New Outlook Counseling Services

A New Outlook Counseling Services provides therapy for those needing assistance with mental health issues, marriage counseling or relational therapy, or addictions to drugs or alcohol. We have offices to serve Colorado…the Healing Begins Here.

References: https://tinybuddha.com/blog/how-to-take-care-of-yourself-during-tough-times/

Author’s content used under license, © 2011 Claire Communications