Radical self-care is the intentional act of investing in and caring for one's physical, emotional, and mental, social, professional, and spiritual self before addressing the needs of others. Here at the Passionate Stewardship Box, you should pamper yourself regularly. More importantly, you should incorporate Radical Self-Care into your daily living. Here at the Passionate Stewardship Box, the five domains of Radical Self-Care that we would like for you to begin to incorporate into your daily life are:
Radical Physical Self-Care - focuses on your mind and body and goes beyond exercising. What are you putting in your body? What are you putting on your body? Are you exercising? Are you getting your yearly check-up? (pap smear, mammogram, for men, a prostate exam, eye exam, dental exams) Are you taking your medications on time?
Radical Emotional and Mental Self-Care - focuses on you doing what is necessary to care for your mind and emotions. How are you coping and dealing with uncomfortable emotions, and how are you telling yourself you are doing….no really, what are you speaking over your life? You want to ensure you bring full awareness to your emotions, honoring, holding space, and caring for them. You also want to ensure you think and speak positively about your life.
Radical Social Self-Care - focuses on connecting with people who feed your soul. Often, these people share your values; they can be our blood family, chosen family, or just really good friends.
Radical spiritual self-care - focuses on connecting you with a more profound sense of meaning or understanding. This does not have to involve religion; if it is beautiful and not, that is just as beautiful. How are you establishing a deeper meaning to everything that is going on around you?
Professional Self-Care - focuses on how you show up for yourself in and outside the workplace. So, are you taking time for lunch? Are you setting boundaries? Saying No? Taking vacations? Acknowledging yourself and your supervisor when a client situation has evoked something in you, and you need the space and the grace to take the rest of the day? Are you planning or using a planner or calendar to stay organized?
Radical self-care is wellness in its totality, and it takes some work. Take baby steps, give yourself some grace, and, more importantly, make yourself a priority!
XO
Dr. Cherie