A while back, I was like you, with limited self care skills and way too much stress in my life. It took burnout and major changes to deal with that stress. I moved out of the city for a few years and I unlearnt all of my bad coping habits and replaced them with healthier coping skills. I won't lie and say it was easy. It took commitment, time and a LOT of self reflection. But I got there in the end, even if I took the long route.
Here's the thing, though. Self care skills don't always have to be learnt the hard way. They can also be developed through proactive coping strategies that make it easier to deal with stress before things reach crisis point. If my journey through stress, depression, burnout and recovery taught me anything, it is this: managing stress is much easier before you hit burnout. What we really need is realistic, straight-forward self care skills that help on a day to day basis.
As women, we have a lot to juggle and stress is often par for the course. Coping skills are essential to stay on track and find balance. This is where the idea for Self Odyssey began...
I started Self Odyssey as a way to share all of the self care skills and strategies I had discovered along my journey. At the time, I was dealing with major health issues that had made me put even more effort into taking care of myself fully. From simple things such as bedtime routines, breathing exercises and affirmations to boundary setting, therapy and negative thought redirecting, I soon realised how much easier it was to deal with everything when I was putting these skills into place. My issues did not magically vanish, of course. I was simply better equipped to cope. That is exactly what true self care is all about. It's not about bubble baths and face masks (although those never hurt). It's about equipping yourself with basic skills to navigate the many stresses that you face in this often hectic life.
The advice, guidance, inspiration and resources I share are not made to replace therapy, medication or other treatment strategies. Instead, they are meant to work alongside other treatments to offer an integrated approach. Using a combination of coping strategies is the best way to heal from the inside out, using skills that can be put into action. This approach helped me heal and I use it on a regular basis to this day.
To find out more about the role of self care skills in the real world and see how to get started on your own journey, hit the button below.
