It’s that time of the year when the clocks turn back and the nights are getting longer. It’s a season that, for some of us, causes a period of low energy and adjustment. It’s also just past the middle of the fall semester.
In my years as a student, this is a time that I have found that a little extra self-care can do wonders, including maintaining energy levels to keep up with the sometimes daunting workload of higher education intersecting, and sometimes colliding, with the other dimensions of our lives.
What does self-care mean? It’s deeply subjective. For some, it’s simple joys like a particular food or maybe a hot bath and a good book. For others, it’s deeply complicated and can require the support of friends and family.
I invite you to honestly have a moment of introspection and think about what you can do for yourself to promote some happy thoughts and positive waves. Here are some suggestions from my own self-care guide: smile, laugh, skip to the bus stop, make someone else laugh, have a hot bath, have a hot bath with a friend, make your favourite food, build a blanket house and read a favourite book, draw something, ask a friend for a hug, have a marathon of favourite films, meditate, pray, make a new friend, enjoy some quiet time.
Self-care is about you and it’s about loving yourself well enough to enable you to love others. We are emotional beings and over time little hurts can build and become unmanageable. But if we create a continuing discourse with ourselves with honesty and intention we can be better to ourselves, and others.